Designing Breakdown-Aware Assistive Technology to Support Functional Independence in Older Autistic Adults

Summary:

This study explores how older autistic adults (50+) manage everyday activities, including where they may experience difficulties with planning, organizing, adapting to, or completing a specific task, and how technology can help them stay independent. By listening directly to older autistic adults, our ultimate goal is to use this firsthand feedback to design better, smarter assistive technologies and tools.

Researchers:

Principal Investigator: Alex Mihailidis (PhD), Study Investigator: Bing Ye (MSc), Undergraduate Researcher: Laura Calugaru

Who can participate?

We are looking for participants who are: 50 years of age or older, identify as autistic through either a formal clinical diagnosis or self-identification, able to provide voluntary informed consent, and able to communicate sufficiently in English to complete online surveys and participate in an interview where they will be asked to describe their own experiences and perspectives.

What's involved?

Participants will complete: (1) an online survey about general background information, autism-related support needs, and technological tools/devices used in everyday life; (2) the BRIEF2A Adult Self-Report Form, an online survey that asks participants to rate their own behaviours associated with everyday tasks; (3) an interview about aging and autism, everyday activities, and technology.

How will participants be compensated?

Participants will receive $30 (mailed to them in cash, or sent via e-Transfer) upon interview completion. 

Contact information:

Laura Calugaru (lcalugar@uoguelph.ca); Bing Ye (bing.ye@utoronto.ca); Alex Mihailidis (alex.mihailidis@utoronto.ca)