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Symposia

Adult -ADHD

Navigating the Transition to Adulthood: Behavioral Interventions and Contextual Supports for ADHD and Autism Across the Lifespan

4 - (SYM 20) Understanding Housing Outcomes for Autistic Adults and Their Families: A Mixed-method Study

Friday, November 21, 2025
5:56 PM - 6:13 PM CST
Location: Celestin F, Level 3
Keywords: ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Adult
Recommended Readings: Canu, W., Knouse, L. E., Flory, K., & Hartung, C. M. (2023). Thriving in college with ADHD: A cognitive-behavioral skills manual for therapists. Routledge.,   Bui, H. N., Marsh, N. P., & Chronis-Tuscano, A. (2024). Perspectives on parental support of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder self-management at the transition to adulthood. Nature Mental Health, 2(5), 489-495. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00234-0,   Clarke, E., Singer, H., Schiltz, H., & Lord, C. (2024). Autism at 30: Conceptualizations for adult research and clinical practice. American Psychologist. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0001452,   Dudley, K. M., Klinger, M. R., Meyer, A., Powell, P., & Klinger, L. G. (2019). Understanding service usage and needs for adults with ASD: The importance of living situation. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 49, 556-568. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3729-0,   Raymaker, D. M., Sharer, M., Maslak, J., Powers, L. E., McDonald, K. E., Kapp, S. K., Moura, I., Wallington, A. “Furra”, & Nicolaidis, C. (2022). “[I] don’t wanna just be like a cog in the machine”: Narratives of autism and skilled employment. Autism, 27(1), 65-75. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221080813
Abstract Body

Housing is a critical contextual factor in supporting the life success of autistic adults. Many adults and their families are eager to find suitable residential placements, and increasing access to housing is a priority among autism community groups (IACC, 2023). Recent studies in the U.S. indicate most autistic adults live in the family home (Dudley et al., 2019) and parents report concerns about securing housing for their adult children (Clarke et al., 2025).  In short, there is a need for housing options that meet the needs of autistic adults.

The last decade has seen a proliferation of “supported residential settings” offering to meet these needs. Little research has examined the impacts of these settings. Family systems are influenced by housing and are also a critical contextual factor in the outcomes of autistic adults. This presentation synthesizes results from a mixed-method study, specifically:

1) Reflections on the impacts of supported residential settings from adult residents (n = 10; 80% white, 20% Hispanic, 50% male, 40% female, 10% non-binary) and parents of adult residents (n =12; 100% white, 75% female, 25% male);

2) Quantitative findings on the life outcomes of adult residents and their parents.

Emerging qualitative themes from semi-structured interviews include improving autonomy, challenges adjusting to new environments, and enhanced social support. Participant reflections were largely positive, with one resident noting that since moving to a supported residential setting, “I'm able to do things that I thought I could never do…I'm able to work things out.” Similarly, a caregiver shared, “I always knew that [my son] could fly, he just needed a longer runway…having the right team in place to support him is in his best interest, as opposed to me trying to support him alone.”

Quantitative findings indicate residents (M=21.89, SD=7.27) and parents (M=15.28, SD=6.72) reported moderate stress on the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al., 1983), though parents reported less stress than residents (p=.04). On the Positive and Negative Affect Scales (PANAS; Watson et al., 1988), residents (M=38.12, SD=5.98) and caregivers (M= 36.28, SD = 7.49) positive affect scores and negative affect scores M=21.75, SD=11.99 and M=15.71, SD = 6.67, respectively) were within normal limits and did not significantly differ (all p >.05).

 The presentation concludes with individual and policy-level recommendations for supporting the transition out of the family home and into successful residential placements for autistic adults and their families.