Association for Behavior Analysis International

Much of the discussion in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis has been, what will happen to individuals diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum Disorder, when they become adults? What services are available to adults on the Autism Spectrum? What jobs are available to them? Are they prepared for the job world? How can we best prepare the individual and the family for the transition into adulthood? In this symposium, we will discuss how to best prepare individuals diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities, on their path to adulthood and independence. The first symposium will examine Applied Behavior Analysis programming by an insurance-funded private agency and will compare those programming goals with domains listed on a life-skills preparedness inventory. The second symposium will focus primarily on parent/guardian education and preparing parents/guardians for the adolescence and adulthood stage, including the "services cliff." More importantly, a discussion of what to do when the "services cliff" occurs and how to manage a family's expectations with this change will be reviewed.

With an increase in insurance coverage for Applied Behavior Analysis services, many agencies are providing Applied Behavior Analysis services to clients ranging from early intervention through adolescence. While much of the field has dedicated research to early intervention, a large proportion of individuals diagnosed with Autism will reach adulthood and may lack the skills necessary to live independently. Further investigation could identify how Applied Behavior Analysis agencies can prepare individuals with autism for adulthood during adolescence. This might include providing programming focused on health, money management, safety, community skills, etc. Many of the more advanced life skills necessary to function independently require prerequisite skills that should be addressed within Applied Behavior Analysis programming. This study examined the various goals of Applied Behavior Analysis programming (e.g., interpersonal skills, job maintenance skills, health, housing, and money management); in addition, the study examined the results of a life skills inventory to identify patterns in the various developmental domains, as well as their relationship to the Applied Behavior Analysis goals. Results from this examination are discussed in terms of guidelines for Applied Behavior Analysis program development and adult services, as well as potential directions for future research.