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PERSONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS PREDICTING COMMUNITY MOBILITY OF YOUNG AUTISTIC ADULTS
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2025-05
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Public Health
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https://doi.org/10.34944/0n5s-8q50
Abstract
Community mobility refers to an individual’s ability to leave their home and navigate their surroundings to access essential services, employment, education, and social opportunities within the community. It is particularly critical for autistic young adults (AYA), as it directly influences their ability to engage and participate in their communities. Lack of mobility affects multiple aspects of life, including quality of life, loneliness, health, education, employment, and social activities. AYA encounter numerous personal and environmental barriers to community mobility.
AYA, professionals and caregivers of AYA report that personal and environmental factors influence community mobility. However, prior research in this area has focused on beliefs and opinions with limited empirical examination. In previous research, AYA, professionals and caregivers of AYA beliefs and opinions about factors influencing community mobility were explored through qualitative approaches, focusing on personal experiences and perspectives. While these insights are valuable, this study expands on previous findings by systematically testing these beliefs across different dimensions of community mobility. By using structured data collection and statistical analyses, the study aims to validate the identified factors, identify patterns, and provide evidence-based understanding of the factors that influence mobility.
Autism research has historically shown that beliefs and opinions, while valuable to inform, are not always accurate and require further evidence-based validation. Moving forward additional robust, empirical studies that systematically examine which personal or environmental factors are associated with dimensions of community mobility will provide much needed additional insight into AYA community mobility. Using an evidence-based approach informed by the ICF framework, this study analyzes self-reported data from AYA to identify associations between environmental, and community mobility data from AYA. By applying data collection and analyses methods, this study advances understanding of the factors that shape community mobility beyond personal beliefs and opinions.
This study advances how community mobility is examined by adopting a more comprehensive definition to create a deeper understanding of this critical factor in the lives of AYA. Specifically, this study examines community mobility through four dimensions: frequency, sufficiency, satisfaction, and ease, and investigates how personal and environmental factors are associated with these dimensions.
This quantitative study used a cross-sectional design. A total of 162 AYA completed a survey assessing dimensions of community mobility and personal and environmental factors. Statistical analyses addressed the proposed research questions and included correlations, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and regression analyses to examine bivariate and multivariate associations between personal and environmental variables across the four dimensions of community mobility.
The results reveal distinct patterns across different dimensions of community mobility, with some dimensions showing stronger associations with specific personal or environmental factors. Findings indicate that multiple personal and environmental factors are differentially associated with various dimensions of community mobility. The dimension of ease was most frequently associated with personal factors, while frequency of mobility showed the most associations with environmental factors such as walkability and crime rates. Employment, social support, and autism-related stigma emerged as the most frequently associated factors across multiple dimensions of community mobility. These findings suggest that each dimension of community mobility is distinct and should be considered when measuring community mobility. The results provide a foundation for person- and environmental-centered strategies aimed at enhancing mobility and improving the quality of life for AYA.
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