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Cited by 92Disability Education and EmploymentAutism Spectrum Disorder ResearchCareer Development and Diversity

Autistic adults’ experiences of diagnostic disclosure in the workplace: decision-making and factors associated with outcomes

Open access
Romualdez, Anna Melissa, Walker, Zachary, Remington, Anna·2021·Autism & Developmental Language Impairments
DOI 10.1177/23969415211022955PMC PMC9620671
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Abstract

Autistic individuals often struggle to find and maintain employment. This may be because many workplaces are not suited to autistic individuals’ needs. Among other difficulties, many autistic employees experience distracting or disruptive sensory environments, lack of flexibility in work hours, and unclear communication from colleagues. One possible way of mitigating these difficulties is for employees to disclose their diagnosis at work. While disclosure may increase understanding and acceptance from colleagues, it can also lead to discrimination and stigma in the workplace. Research has shown that disclosure outcomes are often mixed, but it is unclear what factors are associated with either positive or negative outcomes of disclosure for autistic people. This study aimed to identify these factors and explore the reasons why autistic employees choose to disclose or to keep their diagnosis private. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 clinically-diagnosed autistic adults (12 male and 12 female) who were currently, or had been, employed in the UK (mean age = 45.7 years). Through thematic analysis, we identified three main themes under experiences of disclosure: 1) A preference for keeping my diagnosis private; 2) The importance of disclosure in the workplace; and 3) Disclosure has mixed outcomes. We also identified three factors associated with disclosure outcomes: understanding of autism, adaptations, and organisational culture. These results have implications for improving inclusive practices on both the individual and organisational level to ensure more positive disclosure experiences for autistic employees.

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. Dodd S. (2005). Understanding autism. Elsevier.
  2. Flower R. Dickens L. Hedley D. (2019). Barriers to employment for individuals with autism spectrum disorder: Perceptions of autistic and non-autistic job candidates during a simulated job interview. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63, 652.
  3. Schein E. (2017). Organizational culture and leadership/Edgar H. Schein with peter Schein (5th ed.). Wiley.

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Authors
Romualdez, A. M., Walker, Z., & Remington, A.
Affiliations
University College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Romualdez, Anna Melissa
ORCID
Venue
Autism & Developmental Language Impairments
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2021-01
Volume
6
Pages
23969415211022955-23969415211022955
ISSN
2396-9415 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1177/23969415211022955
PMC
PMC9620671
OpenAlex
W3171777987
Cited by
92
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 5
FWCI
14.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Autism & Developmental Language Impairments (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Autistica UK (Autistica Research Grant)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Disability Education and Employment
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
Keywords
autism spectrum disorder, autistic adults, diagnosis disclosure, workplace disclosure, employment of autistic people, disclosure outcomes, employment discrimination, workplace stigma, organizational culture, workplace adaptation, workplace inclusion, sensory environment

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