The Transition to Adulthood: Experiences of Young Adults with Asperger Syndrome

This study sheds insight into the unique, daily struggles of individuals with Asperger Syndrome (AS) as they transition into adulthood. The majority of research available regarding individuals diagnosed with AS focuses on childhood experiences. What happens when these individuals age out of high school? What are their experiences with becoming independent, successful adults? This study elicited qualitative data concerned with individual experience from seven participants between the ages of eighteen and thirty years old. Data were collected through three face-to-face and four email interviews. Data were analyzed to identify specific challenges of adult life. All participants expressed challenges in social interaction, as well as successfully coping with stress in the areas of employment, education, and relationships. Results of this study offer a deeper understanding of the individual challenges individuals experience in young adult life.