Impact of vocational career counseling on college dropout: systematic review

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects social interaction, communication, and behavior. Although research has primarily focused on childhood, adults with ASD face significant challenges in achieving autonomy, particularly in contexts such as higher education, employment, interpersonal relationships, and independent living. This systematic review aimed to identify the main difficulties affecting the social adaptability of adults with ASD using the PRISMA method, analyzing 21 articles from databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Google Scholar. The results highlight issues with personal space regulation, facial processing, understanding social cues, and cognitive flexibility, all of which impact social interaction and adaptation. Additionally, a relationship was identified between stress, anxiety, and social deterioration, as well as slower processing speed in adults with ASD. Psychosocial interventions such as PEERS and CBT show promising results; however, their effectiveness depends on the individualization of the programs. It is concluded that addressing the heterogeneity of individuals with ASD by designing personalized programs that combine social skills training, online communication, and the inclusion of autistic professionals is essential.