Workplace adjustments equivalent to reasonable accommodations and workplace maladjustment in a general working population, with a focus on high autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits.

BACKGROUND: The potential effectiveness of reasonable accommodations for workers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been reported, but quantitative evidence remains limited. It is also unclear whether ASD- or ADHD-equivalent workplace adjustments benefit workers with lower ASD or ADHD trait levels in the general population. This study aimed to quantitatively examine whether individuals with high or non-high levels of ASD or ADHD traits experience greater workplace maladjustment in environments without ASD- or ADHD-equivalent adjustments compared with those where such adjustments are provided. METHODS: Participants were 1,000 randomly selected workers from across Japan who completed a self-administered online survey conducted as a cross-sectional study. Workplace adjustments equivalent to reasonable accommodations were identified from 14 examples drawn from two case collections published by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. ASD traits, ADHD traits, and workplace maladjustment were assessed using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, and the Social Adaptation Self-evaluation Scale, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for workplace maladjustment. RESULTS: Among workers with high ASD or ADHD trait scores, the odds of workplace maladjustment were higher when ASD- or ADHD-equivalent adjustments were not provided than when such adjustments were available; a comparable but less pronounced association was also observed among those with non-high trait scores. CONCLUSIONS: These quantitative findings suggest that workplace adjustments equivalent to reasonable accommodations are associated with a lower risk of workplace maladjustment and improved workplace adaptation among employees with high ASD or ADHD trait levels, and may also be beneficial for those with milder traits.