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. 2024 Jan 1;129(1):26-40.
doi: 10.1352/1944-7558-129.1.26.

Impact of the Great Recession on Adults With Autism and Their Mothers

Emily J Hickey  1 , Leann Smith DaWalt  1 , Daniel Bolt  1 , Jinkuk Hong  1 , Jieun Song  1 , Julie Lounds Taylor  2 , Marsha R Mailick  3
Affiliations

Impact of the Great Recession on Adults With Autism and Their Mothers

Emily J Hickey et al. Am J Intellect Dev Disabil. .

Abstract

Autistic individuals and their families are at risk for poor outcomes in employment and mental health and may be vulnerable to long-term effects of broader societal conditions. The aim of the current longitudinal study was to understand the impact of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on autistic individuals and their mothers (N = 392). Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) results indicated that problem behavior of autistic adults increased in the years following the recession. The rate at which autistic individuals moved away and lived separately from their mothers also slowed during the recession. Mothers experienced significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms postrecession, compared to prerecession. In many other respects, the autistic individuals and their mothers did not experience negative outcomes, suggesting resilience and a strong safety net. These included the physical health and vocational/employment status of the autistic adults and their mothers. Results point to specific areas of vulnerability of autistic individuals and their mothers during the economic downturn, as well as a broad pattern of resilience in these families.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder; depressive symptoms; mothers; problem behavior; recession; residential status.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Mean Estimates Across Time With Slope Lines for Adult Problem Behavior, Adjusted for Individual Age and Intellectual Disability Status of the Adult With ASD Note. SIB-R: Scales of Independent Behaviors-Revised
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Adjusted Mean Estimates Across Time With Slope Lines for Adult Residential Status, Adjusted for Individual Age and Intellectual Disability Status of the Adult With ASD Note. Current Residential Status was coded as: co-residing (0), not co-residing (1). ASD = autism spectrum disorder.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Adjusted Mean Estimates Across Time With Slope Lines for Mother Depressive Symptoms, Adjusted for Individual Age and Intellectual Disability Status of the Adult With ASD Note. CES-D: Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale; ASD = autism spectrum disorder.
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