Exploring Factors that Impact Vocational Rehabilitation Outcomes of Black Neurodivergent Youths

Background In recent years, the experiences of neurodivergent people have gained a lot of attention in vocational rehabilitation research. However, the conversation often leaves out the unique experience of Black persons who are neurodivergent. Objective This study explored whether and to what extent demographic and background characteristics, reported barriers to employment, educational attainment, and VR services received correlate with successful employment for Black neurodivergent youths. Methods Participants include 12,015 Black neurodivergent youths ages 16 to 26. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the demographic and background characteristics of participants, while regression analysis was used to unpack the relationships between vocational rehabilitation services variables and employment outcomes. Results Our results suggest an overall employment rate of 36%, with the highest employment rate seen among Black youths with ASD compared to SLD and ADHD. Supported employment and living independently at home were related to positive employment outcomes. In addition, those who completed a high school diploma were more likely to achieve successful employment outcomes. Likewise, those who completed some post-secondary education were more likely to achieve employment. Conclusion Our findings add to the knowledge base on employment support for neurodivergent Black youths, especially since there is limited employment-related research for this population. We conclude with recommendations for vocational rehabilitation practice and directions for future research.