Workplace discrimination and self-esteem among high-functioning autistic employees

Autism Spectrum Disorders and Prejudice in the Workplace

According to Johnson & Joshi (2016), despite the increased awareness about autism spectrum disorders, in the workplace considerable prejudice still remains against individuals who suffer from ASD [WHY PART OF PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH LITERATURE]. Their study suggests that individuals suffering from ASD, even if highly functional, still face considerable barriers in an occupational setting that impede their ability to be economically solvent and feel a sense of professional confidence. The study strives to make a relevant contribution to psychological literature with its focus on the internal psychology of those with an ASD diagnosis and ASD employees\' perceptions of discrimination and self-esteem. Because of the subjective nature of these measurements, a qualitative methodology was used.

Methodology

Joshi & Joshi (2016) began their research study by interviewing thirty currently employed individuals identified as having high-functioning ASD using a semi-structured format and second by providing an open-ended survey to which individuals could respond to a series of questions [EXPLAINING WHY QUALITATIVE STUDY]. This was designed to allow autistic individuals to speak freely about their experiences, first in a manner in which they could be directly questioned and second in a manner by which individuals with ASD could respond so they would feel comfortable without social pressures. This also allowed them to solicit input from a wider range of individuals. The in-person interviews were coded, with patterns identified between the different responses.

The results of the qualitative interviews indicated that the age of their diagnosis and their disclosure of the information to colleagues had a significant impact on the employee\'s perceptions of their acceptance at work. The degree of social interactions required by the job and the extent to which the organization openly supported employing individuals with disabilities also had an impact on the extent to which they were perceived as accepted. In general, individuals diagnosed at later ages were more apt to see themselves as victims of discrimination. Individuals diagnosed earlier in life expressed greater anxiety about people knowing at work although they identified fewer specific acts of discrimination.

Interestingly, when work required a high level of social interaction, even those employees with later diagnoses believed they were subject to less discrimination than the general group of respondents. Perhaps most interestingly organizations with formal programs to support those with ASD had lower self-esteem in regards to their professional capacities. To the researchers, this suggested a need for outside support structures for individuals suffering from ASD beyond that of the workplace and for more informed and rethought programs teaching individuals in the workplace to support colleagues with autism.

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