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Social support and career adaptability in young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in Hong Kong: The role of social competence
Author(s)
Date Issued
2026
Publisher
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Citation
Leung, P. Y., & Cheung, W. L. (2026). Social support and career adaptability in toung adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in Hong Kong: The role of social competence. In Hong Kong Shue Yan University (Ed.). Conference proceedings of international conference on human resilience: Navigating life changes & challenges (HRCONF2026). International Conference on Human Resilience: Navigating Life Changes & Challenges (HRCONF2026), Hong Kong Shue Yan University (pp. 14-15). Hong Kong Shue Yan University.
Type
Conference Paper
Abstract
The prevalence of young adults with Special Educational Needs (SEN) entering the workforce has risen significantly. Despite global calls for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), young adults with SEN who are unemployed or underpaid after graduation have raised concerns worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of social competence in the relationship between social support and career adaptability among young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) in Hong Kong. A total of 303 young adults (aged 18-30) voluntarily completed
an online self-reported questionnaire with three validated scales. After excluding invalid data, comparative analyses were conducted within two groups (ASD: N=115; SpLD: N=81) to examine differences in the interrelationships among variables through moderation and mediation analyses. Noteworthy results aligned with the hypotheses, except for the moderating effect, which showed no statistically significant difference in either group concerning the positive link between social competence and career adaptability. As hypothesised, the moderated regression analyses highlighted significant positive
associations between social support and both career adaptability and social competence, with weaker effects observed in the ASD group. Mediation analyses demonstrated that social competence fully mediated the relationship between social support and career adaptability in the ASD group, while partial mediation was revealed in the SpLD group. This study demonstrates the mediating role of social competence in the relationship between social support and career adaptability among young adults with ASD and SpLD in Hong Kong. The findings enhance understanding of resilience-building in vocational contexts for these specific groups, while providing practical insights for tailored interventions that strengthen social competence and support in navigating the adjustment challenges among young adults with different SEN during vocational transitions.
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