Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Discovering Capabilities for Community Living and Participation for Older Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder  

Photo of UNT HPS professors working on research project on community living for adults with autismAwardees (pictured right):

  • Elias Mpofu, principal investigator and professor of rehabilitation and health services
  • Brenda Barrio, co-PI, assistant vice president for research and innovation and associate professor of rehabilitation and health services
  • Saraju Mohanty, co-PI and professor of computer science and engineering
  • Shahla Rosales, co-PI and professor of behavior analysis

Sponsor: U.S. National Institute on Disability Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research

Award Total: $600,000

About the Research: People aging with autism may experience greater deterioration and disability than those aging into disability or aging with other conditions, depending on their capabilities and opportunities in life situations.

Mpofu is leading an interdisciplinary team of researchers from UNT’s College of Engineering and College of Health and Public Service to better understand the real-world community living priorities of adults ages 55 and older with autism, as well as what abilities they have and/or desire for community living. Through participatory action research, the UNT team will work with and learn from older adults with autism over the next three years in hopes that the results can lead to improved and more fulfilling life situations for them.

For the project, UNT researchers will collaborate with the National Autism Association of North Texas, North Central Texas Aging and Disability Resource Center, Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, Resources Centers on Independent Living, North Central Texas Area Agency on Aging, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, Arise Foundation, Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research: SPARK and Autism Speaks.

Impact Goal: “We are all better, and more fulfilled, recognizing our capabilities over the life course,” Mpofu says.  “For this project, we especially want to learn about how the inherent personal abilities of older adults with autism play out for them in their life situations. This will provide evidence-based research that can be used to improve their community living outcomes and in developing intervention frameworks to support older adults with autism in their self-determination and socially inclusive living.”