Supporting Autistic Adolescents and Young Adults: The Stepped Transition to Employment and Postsecondary Education Success (STEPS) Program Provider Manual

Dr. Susan White is Professor and Doddridge Saxon Chair in Clinical Psychology at The University of Alabama, where she directs the Center for Youth Development & Intervention. Her research, which has been continuously funded for more than 20 years, spans multiple areas in developmental psychopathology, with primary focus on mechanism-driven intervention for co-occurring and core problems in autism. In addition to authoring more than 200 books, chapters, and research articles, Dr. White has worked as a clinician in private practice and in residential inpatient settings, cementing her belief in the importance of research and evidence-based practice being mutually informative.

PART I: Overview: Needs and Challenges Related to Adult Transition Among People With Autism

Chapter 1: Autism Transition Into Adulthood

PART II: STEPS Provider Manual

Chapter 2: Introduction to STEPS
Chapter 3: Module 1: Planning and Needs Assessment
Chapter 4: Module 2: Goals Clarification
Chapter 5: Module 3: Managing Intense Emotion
Chapter 6: Module 4: Independent Adulthood: Soft Skills
Chapter 7: Module 5: Getting Ready: Problems and Goals
Chapter 8: Module 6: Problem Solving
Chapter 9: Module 7: Social Interaction and Disclosure
Chapter 10: Module 8: Cognitive Flexibility
Chapter 11: Module 9: Health and Stress Management
Chapter 12: Module 10: Self-Advocacy
Chapter 13: Module 11: Balancing Independence and Support
Chapter 14: Module 12: Final Meeting and Planning Ahead
Chapter 15: Immersion Experiences
Chapter 16: Variations and Adaptations to STEPS

Appendix A: Client Worksheets and Handouts