ATTAIN-Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative

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ATTAIN-Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative

Our mission is to help improve post-school outcomes for Autistic youth through research.

ATTAIN is a multi-year initiative led by researchers at Cornell University's Yang Tan Institute on Employment and Disability. The purpose of ATTAIN is to help improve post-school outcomes for young adults with autism through identifying which high school experiences (called predictors) increase the likelihood of obtaining a job, pursuing college/university, or living on one's own (or with roommates) after high school. In Years 1 and 2 of the project, ATTAIN has used rigorous research methods to analyze existing and follow-up data from New York State PROMISE (Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income), a federally sponsored research initiative focused on removing obstacles to adult success for youth who receive Supplemental Security Income. In Year 3, ATTAIN will create and share a nationally-representative longitudinal survey. While our research team recognizes the importance of conducting high quality research, we also believe it is equally important to share our research findings in accessible ways to inform practice and policy. Thus, we use social media as one way to share our research with you, to offer solutions or best practices, and to connect with people with autism and their family members, employers, educators, policy makers, and anyone else who wants to learn more about what transition research tells us.

07/10/2026

📢 Join us for a free webinar from Cornell University's Project ATTAIN!

Learn about our recent research on promoting self-determination for autistic transition-age youth and how the evidence-based Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI) can help educators support students in achieving their goals.

Learn practical strategies for the classroom to promote self-determination!

Register here: https://events.yangtaninstitute.org/e/11603/register

Please share with your networks—we'd love to see you there!

06/09/2026

Would you like to stay connected with ATTAIN and receive project updates directly to your inbox?

We're inviting interested individuals to sign up for our quarterly newsletter to learn about project progress, resources, and upcoming opportunities. You can also receive information about ATTAIN webinars (no more than three per year).

If you'd like to remain connected, please complete this brief form: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9YmhoHre7Ql22cS

We look forward to keeping in touch and sharing updates with you!

The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.

04/10/2026

PUBLICATION ALERT! Check out our new article based on Project ATTAIN (Autism Transition to Adulthood Initiative) research. This study explored predictors of different life experiences in adulthood for Autistic young people. In particular, we found that goal setting and psychological empowerment were significant predictors of all adult life experience outcomes tested!

Shaw, L. A., Brendli Brown, K. R., & Enayati, H. (2026). Autistic people and life experiences: the role of student skills and support. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 17, 1-12.

IntroductionStudies examining quality of life outcomes have shown that Autistic people experience lower scores across domains (e.g., physical, psychological)...

03/11/2026

PUBLICATION ALERT! Check out ATTAIN's latest research article just published with the Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities (ETADD) journal, titled "Predictors of Employment for Autistic Youth: Initial and Follow-up PROMISE Survey Results".

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21541647261430270

We found strong evidence supporting the associations between multiple career development activities (e.g., paid employment/work experience) and student skills (e.g., youth autonomy/decision-making) in high school with post-school employment.

Cite our work!

Brendli Brown, K. R., Shaw, L., & Enayati, H. (2026). Predictors of Employment for Autistic Youth: Initial and Follow-up PROMISE Survey Results. Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/21541647261430270

Many Autistic people experience difficulties in obtaining and maintaining employment, particularly in the first few years after exiting high school. While resea...

03/10/2026

Check out this new Cornell University ILR School article featuring research co-led by one of our ATTAIN researchers, Dr. Katie Brendli Brown. This research examines the job interview process for Autistic college students and recent graduates pursuing STEM fields. The project takes on an inclusive research approach, with people with lived experience and expertise in autism informing every step of the research process, similar to ATTAIN.

Researchers at ILR's Yang-Tan Institute are studying the experiences of Autistic jobseekers in STEM to understand interview challenges and develop recommendations for improving the hiring process.

01/19/2026

ATTAIN's Katie Brendli Brown was selected as one of the 2026 Fellows for the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Congratulations Katie!

Listing of all of our news releases

01/16/2026

Katie Brendli Brown just presented at the Council for Exceptional Children Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities annual conference in Los Angeles! She was sharing results from a pilot project involving pre-service teachers and the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction.

Go Katie!

01/08/2026

One of the ATTAIN researchers, Dr. Katie Brendli Brown, will be presenting at the Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities (DADD) Conference next week!! ATTAIN research will be showcased in her presentation called "Transition Predictors and Effective Practices: Pre-service Teachers Supporting Autistic Students' Self-Determination."

Katie is excited to network with you at the conference and talk about autism, self-determination, & post-secondary transitions! Check out her two presentations on January 16th!!

K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability

10/10/2025

ATTAIN project team members present their research at DCDT!

07/14/2025

The ATTAIN research team is excited to announce that we have received word from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) that we have been awarded a Field Initiated Research Grant, which is funded for the next three years. The title of our project is “Identifying Activities Linked to Improve Outcomes for Autistic Youth”.

The goals of the mixed-method study are to:
-identify predictors of successful transition from high school to postsecondary employment, education, and adult life experiences for Autistic youth
-explore factors that increase two- and four-year college retention, academic achievement, and completion

Address

201 Dolgen Hall
Ithaca, NY
14853

Website

https://autismtransitiontoadulthood.org/, https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/people/leslie-shaw, https://www.ilr.cornell.edu/pe

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