The Aut-CARE project (Autism Cognitive-Afective REmediation for adults), created by the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) and the Friends Foundation, has been selected by Fundación “la Caixa” in its Connecta Call: from Research to Social Practice. The goal of this initiative is to improve the cognitive and emotional functioning of young adults on the autism spectrum and to support their social and workplace integration.
Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. Diagnosis and interventions generally focus on childhood and adolescence, which makes it challenging—or even impossible—for individuals to meet environmental demands, such as employment and social integration, often leading to additional mental health issues in autistic adults.
According to data from Autism Europe, between 76% and 90% of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are unemployed, making them the disability group with the highest unemployment rate. Although the Autism Spain Confederation and other associations prioritize the inclusion of people with ASD in the workforce, significant employment barriers remain. There is a lack of evidence-based interventions tailored to meet the specific needs of individuals with autism, and existing programs tend to be generalist and do not fully address the cognitive and emotional characteristics of autism.
The goal of Aut-CARE is to co-design an intervention to address the inherent challenges of autism, providing strategies for accessing the job market that, in turn, will help improve participants’ emotional well-being and overall psychosocial adaptation. Led by Dr. Maria J. Portella, head of the Mental Health Research Group at IR Sant Pau, and Susanna Díaz, director of the Friends Foundation, this project aligns with the Connecta Call’s goals, conceptualizing and co-designing Aut-CARE to complement the efforts and interventions currently underway in the nonprofit sector to increase the social inclusion of these young adults and support their mental health.
The Connecta Call by Fundación “la Caixa” aims to support research projects focused on emotional well-being and mental health in Spain, carried out collaboratively between research entities and organizations within the social sector. The evaluation process of the proposals was conducted by academic and social sector experts, resulting in the selection of 12 projects from a total of 106 submissions.
