On fitting a triangle into a circle: A study on employment outcomes of adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who attended postsecondary institutions
Abstract
Duquette, C., & Orders, S. (2013). On fitting a triangle into a circle: A study on employment outcomes of adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who attended postsecondary institutions. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 2(3), 27-36. doi:10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.105 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v2i3.105)
Aim: This study examined the employment outcomes of individuals with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies.
Design: A qualitative research design using inductive thematic analysis and descriptive statistics was employed.
Setting: The study took place in the United States and Canada.
Participants: Ten adoptive mothers, one birth mother, one step-mother and one mother-in-law (N=13), representing 17 adult children, responded to the survey. Four adults with FASD who had undertaken postsecondary studies each participated in an individual interview.
Measures: An electronic survey consisting mostly of open-ended items was used to obtain data on the postsecondary and employment experiences of adults with FASD from the perspectives of their relatives. Adults with FASD participated in individual interviews in which they elaborated on their experiences.
Findings: More than half of the adults with FASD were employed, albeit mostly in the service sector and on a part-time basis. Four of the adults had received an early diagnosis, and these individuals were all employed; two were working in the area of their postsecondary studies. Six of the adults with FASD who had completed their college programs were working at the time of the research.
Conclusions: For those individuals who did not graduate or were not employed, symptoms of FASD and other disabilities (e.g., substance abuse and mental health problems) were related to these negative outcomes. However, a supportive network of friends and family contributed to success in postsecondary studies and employment.
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