An individualized life-skills coaching program for adults with autism
ISSN: 2056-3868
Article publication date: 1 June 2021
Issue publication date: 16 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The lack of services for adults on the autism spectrum is of growing concern. Given the huge variation in how autism impacts people, individualized approaches might be particularly effective. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of a community-based life-skills coaching program for adults with autism “LifeMAP.”
Design/methodology/approach
LifeMAP is structured around individualized meetings between a client and their coach where they identify, prioritize and make progress toward self-selected goals. LifeMAP was established in 2008 and has since served around 2,600 clients. This paper provides an outline of the LifeMAP program, how sessions with clients are structured, goals that adults with autism prioritize and preliminary data on progress toward goal attainment.
Findings
Findings indicated that the LifeMAP program model was effective in supporting progress toward goals, increasing confidence toward goals and reducing anxiety.
Originality/value
Given the scope of the LifeMAP program, this overview is unique in providing pertinent information to others looking for effective and authentic strategies to support autistic adults and those transitioning from high school. This study provides a realistic perspective on how programs are applied in community-based settings, outside a structured, formal lab setting. It is concluded that individualized intervention approaches might be key to successful outcomes for adults with autism.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors’ note: We have chosen to use person-first language “those with autism” and identity-first language “autistic” interchangeably to reflect the preferences of multiple stakeholders.Funding: LifeMAP receives funding from the Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services.Declaration of conflicting interests: No authors declare any conflicts of interest.Compliance with ethical standards: All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Citation
Hillier, A., Poto, N., Schena II, D., Buckingham, A. and Frye, A. (2022), "An individualized life-skills coaching program for adults with autism", Advances in Autism, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 104-116. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-08-2020-0051
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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