Project R-17051

Autism Spectrum Disorder @ the workplace: Design for work participation, not averages (Research)

Work is a key determinant of societal participation, and health. Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (PwASD) face high unemployment rates despite strong work motivation. Most studies use a deficit-oriented approach with a strong focus on person-related factors. While environmental factors of sustainable employment are important, they remain insufficiently studied. It is hypothesized that, from an occupational therapy perspective, integrating the Capability Approach with enriched work environments will enhance work participation in PwASD by expanding individuals' capabilities and optimizing the person-environment fit. Thereby enabling the translation of individual capacities into meaningful work participation and sustainable employment. This research aims to gain a deeper understanding of the environmental elements influencing work participation of PwASD. Four objectives will be addressed across four work packages, structured within the Double Diamond Design Framework: 1)The identification of core environmental factors within an enriched work environment to stimulate sustainable employment; 2) The development of an integrated conceptual framework on enriched work environments; 3) The development of a prototype of an enriched work environment; and 4) To test the feasibility of the created prototype into practice. The findings will provide evidence-based and empirically grounded guidelines on how environmental factors can be optimised to support sustainable employment.

01 November 2026 - 31 October 2030