Understanding the Daily Life of Employed Autistic Adults using Experience Sampling Method

The study aimed to better understand a target group of employed autistic adults within a user-centered research project. The Experi- ence Sampling Method (ESM) was implemented to collect data on daily activities and emotional experiences. Twenty-one participants (10 autistic, 11 non-autistic) provided input four times daily regard- ing their activities, social interactions, and locations, as well as their affect, satisfaction, and well-being. The feasibility of the ESM protocol was supported by a high response rate. Autistic partici- pants reported generally balanced emotional experiences and spent most of their time at home, engaged in either work or leisure. They were predominantly alone and reported nearly equal levels of in- person and virtual contact with others. Inferential comparisons to the neurotypical group were not conducted due to methodological limitations. Nonetheless, the findings offer valuable initial insights and support the use of ESM as a low-threshold, ecologically valid tool for user-centered research.