Dreams and fears of autistic teens

Dreams and fears of autistic teens

Dreams and fears of autistic teens

What does adulthood look like to teenagers with autism?

A researcher at the University of Utah went straight to the kids to see what they wanted their future to look like.

Evan and Aaron Newman are about to graduate from high school. Both have autism. Both worry about impending adulthood.

“I’m not ready to deal with strangers a whole bunch. I like having a more familiar setting like with my family.”

“It’s probably, like the scariest thing I’ve ever had looming ahead of me. It’s kind of this big unknown.”

Both were part of the research project seeing how autistic teens understand the transition into adulthood.

University of Utah Assistant Professor Anne Kirby interviewed 27 students.

“So much research is about people on the autism spectrum, but it’s not with them. So it’s not talking to them, it’s not hearing their own voices and their own ideas.”

The kids told Kirby they want good jobs, college, and families

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