Stepped Transition to Employment and Postsecondary Education Success (STEPS)

Researchers at The University of Alabama are partnering with:

• Arts ‘n Autism (Tuscaloosa)
• Bridgeway Services (Birmingham)
• Triumph Services (Birmingham)
• North Georgia Autism Foundation (NGAF)

…to explore the impact of a new transition support program for teenagers and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Who is eligible?

1. Participants living in Alabama or Georgia.
2. Participants who are 16-25 with a diagnosis of autism and have a parent/informant to be involved in study. 
3. Participants willing to be randomized to receive 12-14 week STEPS sessions, or ‘services as usual’ for 12-14 weeks based on the agency’s practices.

What is STEPS?

The Stepped Transition to Employment and Postsecondary Education Success (STEPS) is a program designed to support transition to growing independence among autistic adolescents and young adults. The STEPS program is highly individualized to meet the unique needs of each client. It utilizes a cognitive-behavioral model that emphasizes focus on three critical goals:

1. self-knowledge: awareness of one’s values, needs, strengths, and goals; goal-setting
2. self-determination: advocating for one’s self and recognizing one’s ability to choose a path/goal and act accordingly – directness; competence in ability to achieve
3. self-regulation: monitoring, oversight, and modulation of behavior, emotion, and cognition in the service of meeting one’s goals; staying focused despite setbacks; stress management

Relevant Articles for more information:

1. Improving Transition to Adulthood for Students with Autism: A Randomized Controlled Trial of STEPS 
2. Anxiety and Depression Reduction as Distal Outcomes of a College Transition Readiness Program for Adults with Autism
3. Development of a College Transition and Support Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder