Despite possessing valuable skills, social communication differences mean that autistic people are frequently disadvantaged in job interviews. We examined how autistic and non-autistic adults compared on standard (unmodified) job interview questions, and then used these findings to develop and evaluate supportive adaptations to questions. Fifty adults (25 autistic, 25 non-autistic) took part in two mock job interviews. Interview 1 provided a baseline measure of performance when answering typical, unmodified interview questions. Employment experts (unaware of participants’ autism diagnoses) rated all interviewees on question-specific performance and overall impressions and then provided feedback about how interviewees could improve and how questions could be adapted to facilitate this. Interviewees also provided feedback about the interview process from their perspective. Adaptations to the questions were developed, with Interview 2 taking place approximately 6 months later. Results demonstrated that, in Interview 1, employment experts rated autistic interviewees less favourably than nonautistic interviewees. Ratings of both autistic and non-autistic participants’ answers improved in Interview 2, but particularly for autistic interviewees (such that differences between autistic and non-autistic interviewees’ performance reduced in Interview 2). Employers should be aware that adaptations to job interview questions are critical to level the playing field for autistic candidates.

Lay abstract

Despite possessing valuable skills, differences in the way that autistic people understand and respond to others in social situations mean that they are frequently disadvantaged in job interviews. We examined how autistic and non-autistic adults compared on standard (unmodified) job interview questions, and then used these findings to develop and evaluate supportive adaptations to questions. Fifty adults (25 autistic, 25 non-autistic) took part in two mock job interviews. Interview 1 provided a baseline measure of performance when answering typical, unmodified interview questions. Employment experts (unaware of participants’ autism diagnoses) rated all interviewees on their responses to each question and their overall impressions of them and then provided feedback about how interviewees could improve and how questions could be adapted to facilitate this. Interviewees also provided feedback about the interview process, from their perspective. Adaptations to the questions were developed, with Interview 2 taking place approximately 6 months later. Results demonstrated that, in Interview 1, employment experts rated autistic interviewees less favourably than non-autistic interviewees. Ratings of both autistic and non-autistic participants’ answers improved in Interview 2, but particularly for autistic interviewees (such that differences between autistic and non-autistic interviewees’ performance reduced in Interview 2). Employers should be aware that adaptations to job interview questions are critical to level the playing field for autistic candidates.

中文翻译：

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改善自闭症求职者的劣势：对适应性就业面试问题的初步评估

尽管拥有宝贵的技能，但社交沟通的差异意味着自闭症患者在工作面试中经常处于不利地位。我们研究了自闭症和非自闭症成年人在标准（未经修改的）工作面试问题上的比较，然后利用这些发现来开发和评估对问题的支持性适应。 50 名成年人（25 名自闭症患者，25 名非自闭症患者）参加了两次模拟工作面试。面试 1 提供了回答典型的、未经修改的面试问题时表现的基线衡量标准。就业专家（不知道参与者的自闭症诊断）根据特定问题的表现和总体印象对所有受访者进行评分，然后提供有关受访者如何改进以及如何调整问题以促进这一点的反馈。受访者还从他们的角度对采访过程进行了反馈。对问题进行了调整，大约 6 个月后进行了第二次采访。结果表明，在访谈 1 中，就业专家对自闭症受访者的评价低于非自闭症受访者。在访谈 2 中，自闭症和非自闭症参与者的答案评分均有所提高，尤其是自闭症受访者（例如，访谈 2 中自闭症和非自闭症受访者的表现差异减少）。雇主应该意识到，适应工作面试问题对于为自闭症候选人创造公平的竞争环境至关重要。

 外行摘要

尽管自闭症患者拥有宝贵的技能，但他们在社交场合理解和回应他人的方式存在差异，这意味着他们在工作面试中经常处于不利地位。我们研究了自闭症和非自闭症成年人在标准（未经修改的）工作面试问题上的比较，然后利用这些发现来开发和评估对问题的支持性适应。 50 名成年人（25 名自闭症患者，25 名非自闭症患者）参加了两次模拟工作面试。面试 1 提供了回答典型的、未经修改的面试问题时表现的基线衡量标准。就业专家（不知道参与者的自闭症诊断）根据所有受访者对每个问题的回答以及他们对他们的总体印象进行评分，然后提供有关受访者如何改进以及如何调整问题以促进这一点的反馈。受访者还从他们的角度提供了有关采访过程的反馈。对问题进行了调整，大约 6 个月后进行了第二次采访。结果表明，在访谈 1 中，就业专家对自闭症受访者的评价低于非自闭症受访者。在访谈 2 中，自闭症和非自闭症参与者的答案评分均有所提高，尤其是自闭症受访者（例如，访谈 2 中自闭症和非自闭症受访者的表现差异减少）。雇主应该意识到，适应工作面试问题对于为自闭症候选人创造公平的竞争环境至关重要。