Snapshots of Growing Up: Youth with Autism Explore Adulthood Through Photovoice.

OBJECTIVE: Youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience significant challenges transitioning to adulthood. We utilized Photovoice to better understand youth's desires for and perspectives on becoming adults.

METHOD: Youth with ASD (N = 11) photographed their life experiences, attended group and individual photo-sharing and discussion sessions, and exhibited their work publicly. Thematic analysis was used to identify salient recurring patterns in the data.

RESULTS: Thematic analysis identified important topics in session transcripts and 184 photographs. Youth with ASD expressed many perspectives about their adult lives, which centered around 3 themes: the meaning of adulthood; desire for independent living; and employment goals.

CONCLUSION: Findings identified what youth with ASD want and need to achieve adulthood. This study demonstrated the utility of a new methodology to provide opportunities for youth to share their experiences and define their priorities.