Managing Vocational Work, Achieving and Sustaining Work Performance: Support and Self-management amongst Young Autistic Adults in the Context of Vocational Support Interventions in Sweden

Bertilsdotter Rosqvist, H., Hultman, L., & Hallqvist, J. (2022). Managing Vocational Work, Achieving and Sustaining Work Performance: Support and Self-management amongst Young Autistic Adults in the Context of Vocational Support Interventions in Sweden. The British Journal of Social Work, 53(1), 258-275. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac138

Publication date: 2 Aug 2022 Added to AutiHub: 4 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

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Authors

Publication authors
3
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 3 (33.3%)

Abstract

Abstract In this article, we explore experiences of support and self-management amongst young autistic adults in the context of vocational support interventions in Sweden. We analyse how young autistic men use different strategies to manage their vocational work and the support they need to maintain, achieve and sustain their work performance. Data consist of eleven interviews with 4 autistic young adult men in different work environments where vocational support interventions are implemented to different degrees. One finding concludes that the interviewees are affected by and try to adapt to neurotypical norms and expectations about working life and adulthood. Although individualised coping strategies can be helpful, it is important for employers and formal support persons to understand and acknowledge that individual emotional and problem-solving coping strategies are demanding and need to be combined with adaptations in the working environment. Another finding concludes how work managers act as gatekeeper in the vocational support system the young autistic men aspire to access and in which they need to manage their work performance. Thus, social workers must provide structured and well-coordinated formal work support by both involving the autistic clients’ employers, work managers and informal networks.

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These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
36
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
6 / 36 (16.7%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
10 / 108 (9.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 10 / 41 (24.4%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 7 / 89 (7.9%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
41 / 108 (38.0%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 29 / 89 (32.6%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
31 / 41 (75.6%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 31 / 108 (28.7%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 22 / 29 (75.9%).
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