Transportation and Community Participation Among Autistic Adults
Wei Song, Mark S. Salzer, Beth Pfeiffer, Lindsay Shea
Abstract
This study investigated how the amount, breadth, and sufficiency of community participation differed in terms of transportation modes used by autistic adults (N = 751). Autistic adults who had access to more transportation modes had a greater amount of community participation. Driving was related to enhanced participation. Those dependent on others or service transportation had poorer participation outcomes than those who used more independent transportation options. The associations are generally similar regardless of the richness of public transit available, although they appear stronger in more limited transit areas. These findings have several implications for providing support to enable autistic adults to participate in their communities in the areas that are important to them and to the extent they desire.