Graduate Studies, UNL

 

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

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First Advisor

Susan Loveall

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Committee Members

Birdie Ganz, Ciara Ousley, Jordan Wheeler, Wayne Babchuk

Department

Educational Studies

Date of this Version

4-27-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Citation

A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy

Major: Educational Studies

Under the supervision of Professor Susan Loveall

Lincoln, Nebraska, May 2026

Comments

Copyright 2026, Manuel Monge Mata. Used by permission

Abstract

Autistic individuals experience persistent employment disparities despite interventions targeting individual skills and supports, suggesting that workplace factors also shape employment outcomes. Self-Determination Theory (SDT) posits that workplace environments supporting employee autonomy, competence, and relatedness promote employment outcomes. This study examined SDT-aligned practices and tested associations between employer beliefs about autism as a form of neurodiversity, hiring receptivity, and employment outcomes for Autistic professionals. A preliminary aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a newly developed measure, the Workplace Inclusivity and Autonomy Survey (WIAS), designed to assess SDT practices via employer report. Participants included 43 professionals representing a range of industry sectors, including healthcare, education, professional services (e.g., engineering, law), technology, and human services. Results indicated high endorsement of SDT-aligned workplace practices across participants, with no significant differences across industry sectors. Employer beliefs about autism were strongly associated with hiring receptivity and moderately associated with employment outcomes. Hiring receptivity was also moderately associated with employment outcomes. Multiple linear regression indicated that employer beliefs about autism, hiring receptivity, and SDT-aligned practices explained approximately 21% of the variance in employment outcomes. However, employer beliefs about autism were the only significant unique predictor. Hiring receptivity and SDT-aligned workplace practices were not significant independent predictors when included in the model. These findings suggest that employer beliefs about autism may be particularly important for employment outcomes for Autistic individuals.

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