Autistic-Delivered Peer Support: A Feasibility Study
- Resource Type
- Journal Articles
Reports - Research
- Authors
- Lindsay L. Shea (ORCID 0000-0003-0610-0355); Mi-Yeet Wong; Wei Song; Katy Kaplan; Disha Uppal; Mark S. Salzer
- Source
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2024 54(2):409-422.
- Subject
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
Peer Relationship
Social Support Groups
Individual Characteristics
Satisfaction
Mental Disorders
Needs
Informed Consent
Program Effectiveness
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0162-3257
1573-3432
Peer support has been an undeveloped pathway for filling the service gap and to generate employment opportunities for autistic individuals. Peer supports have been deployed widely in mental health and among veterans and understanding the utility of this service modality among autistic individuals illuminates opportunities for research, policy, and practice. This study examined characteristics of participants in an autistic-delivered peer support program and reports on use of and satisfaction with the program. Half of autistic participants had a co-occurring mental health diagnosis. Participants reported multiple areas of unmet needs and participant satisfaction with the program was high (90%). The findings of this study point toward autistic-delivered peer support as a promising avenue for future development.