Co-occurring Conditions and Education Services Among Transition-Age Adolescents With Autism

This study describes sociodemographic characteristics, co-occurring mental and behavioral health conditions, services provided in individualized education programs (IEPs), and transition planning goals for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in a population-based sample.

The study included 4311 adolescents aged 16 years in 2022 from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network. All lived within defined catchment areas in 9 states and had an ASD diagnostic code or special education exceptionality. Health and education records from when the adolescents were aged 12 to 16 years were reviewed.

Adolescents with ASD had high prevalence of language delay (51.6%), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (51.1%), and anxiety (42.7%). Few adolescents had an IQ or adaptive test in their records (25.5% and 19.1%, respectively). Most adolescents with an IEP had a transition plan in their records (94.8%), and most had the federally-required postsecondary education (95.7%) and employment goals (95.5%), whereas fewer had the optional postsecondary living goal (43.3%). The prevalence of many elements on the IEP and transition plans varied widely by site. The prevalence of some co-occurring mental and behavioral health conditions and use of school services differed by median household income.

Adolescents with ASD have high prevalence of co-occurring mental and behavioral conditions, with limited information on recent IQ and adaptive testing, potentially impacting service needs and receipt. The variability in the prevalence of IEP elements and service provision across different sites highlights the complexities in addressing the diverse transition needs and health outcomes for adolescents with ASD.