Proof of concept: The TRANSITION program for young adults with autism spectrum disorder and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Background: The support needs of people with neurodevelopmental disorders are not sufficiently met during the initial years of adulthood.
Aim: To evaluate feasibility and preliminary effects of a novel programme designed to empower young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to make progress within significant life domains (i.e. work, education, finance, housing/household management, health, leisure/participation in society, and relationships/social network).
Material and Method: TRANSITION is a 24-week programme that combines group-based workshops with personalised support based on goal attainment scaling. The study enrolled 26 young adults (50% females; age 17-24 years) in the normative intellectual range, diagnosed with ASD ( n  = 8), ADHD ( n  = 4), or both ( n  = 14). The intervention was delivered by the regular staff of publicly funded psychiatric services in Stockholm, Sweden.
Results: The programme was possible to implement with minor deviations from the manual. Participants and staff generally viewed the intervention positively, but also provided feedback to guide further improvement. There was a high degree of attendance throughout, with 21 participants (81%) completing the programme. All completers exceeded their predefined goal expectations within at least one domain.
Conclusions: The TRANSITION-programme is a promising concept that deserves further evaluation.