Indianapolis, Indiana – The Autism Access and Advocacy Lab at the University of Indianapolis has reached a milestone that its founder, faculty, and student researchers say could change the way autistic individuals are supported as they transition into independent adult life. With the release of its first publication, “Financial Literacy Skills Instruction Among Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review,” the lab has spotlighted a gap in existing research and taken its first big step toward addressing it.
The lab, created by Dr. David Schena II, assistant professor in the School of Psychology, was founded on the principle of building tools, resources, and strategies that both affirm neurodiversity and help autistic individuals meet the demands of adulthood. For Schena, the motivation behind this work is personal. Having watched his neurodivergent friends wrestle with real-world challenges—balancing budgets, handling appointments, adjusting to college—he realized that even intelligent, motivated young adults were too often left without the right supports.
“Research has historically focused on work with children and high school students, rather than young adults,” said Dr. Schena. “I’m very interested in helping young adults to achieve greater independence and pursue their goals. That involves managing your own doctor’s appointments, finding work, and balancing a budget, as well as managing the anxiety that can come with that.”
Filling a Missing Piece
The team’s new publication centers on financial literacy, a cornerstone of independence that Schena believes has been overlooked in autism research. “Financial literacy can make or break you,” he explained. “In today’s world, we’re not just worried about a budget; we’re also navigating cryptocurrency, inflation, and so many other factors. Unfortunately, it seems that a dedicated line of research for the autism community in this area has been missing.”
While there has been some study of money-handling basics—counting change, recognizing value, or completing a purchase—scholars have largely stopped short of exploring how autistic young adults can build higher-level financial skills. The lab’s review revealed a clear need for research that goes beyond arithmetic and coins, toward skills like financial planning, credit management, and adapting to unpredictable economic realities.
A Long Road to Publication
The paper represents years of work for Schena. He first began studying financial literacy among autistic individuals during graduate school at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Later, while collaborating with Eastern Illinois University, he expanded the project into its early draft. After joining UIndy, Schena restructured the review with the help of student researchers, eventually leading to its final published form.
“It was a long and evolving study, but it was well worth it,” Schena said. “I really couldn’t have done it without the students.”
Two of those students, Jesse Miller ’23 ’24 ’29 and graduate student Juliana Sandoval-Gomez, played critical roles. Miller, now Schena’s graduate assistant, helped screen over 9,500 articles to determine which ones were relevant to the review. Sandoval-Gomez, who has worked with UIndy’s BUILD program supporting students with learning differences, added her skills by reviewing Spanish-language studies to ensure the research reflected international perspectives.
For Miller, the process was formative. “Being a part of the team’s first publication has given me a deeper appreciation and understanding of collaborative research,” she said. “Collaborating across institutions was especially exciting and reinforced the value of advocacy for underserved populations. Now I feel much more prepared to collaborate in the future, whether in research or clinical practice.”
Sandoval-Gomez echoed that sentiment, noting that her role in analyzing multilingual sources expanded the reach of the project and helped shine light on how different cultures and systems address financial skills for autistic individuals.
Building From the Ground Up
The review’s findings were clear: while a body of research exists on foundational money skills, almost nothing addresses advanced financial literacy among autistic adults. That gap is significant, as independent living often hinges on the ability to manage bills, set financial goals, and adapt to unexpected costs.
“We found a consistent, well-established line of research on the basics,” Schena said. “But when I spoke to members of the autistic community—some of whom were on our research team—it was clear they had learned those more advanced skills. That’s where I want to go next: identifying how and where they learned those skills, and seeing if we can help other community members to learn them in the same way.”
For Miller, the importance of filling this gap is unmistakable. “The lack of instruction around these skills for individuals diagnosed with autism is an important gap, so I’m grateful for the opportunity to contribute to work that aims to address it,” she said.
Looking Forward
The publication is not the finish line but the starting point. Schena and his team hope to build partnerships with other institutions to design targeted studies and create teaching materials that will directly serve autistic communities. By translating academic findings into practical programs, the lab aims to make financial literacy a tool for empowerment rather than a barrier to independence.
“Personally speaking, I’ve always wanted to establish a lab connected to very capable, driven people,” Schena said. “I feel really blessed to have had such a motivated, bright team. The students were invaluable, and I truly could not have achieved this milestone without them.”
The Autism Access and Advocacy Lab also continues to grow beyond research papers. Its mission includes involving autistic individuals directly in its work, creating resources that respond to the community’s stated needs, and advocating for broader societal understanding of the laws and principles that shape autistic lives.
For Schena and his students, the publication demonstrates not only the power of persistence but also the strength of collaboration between faculty, students, and community members. By elevating financial literacy as a research priority, they hope to spark conversations and initiatives that give autistic young adults the same opportunities to thrive as their peers.
In the end, the lab’s work underscores a simple but urgent truth: independence requires more than intelligence or ambition. It requires the skills to navigate an increasingly complex financial world—skills that too many autistic individuals have been left to figure out on their own. At UIndy, the Autism Access and Advocacy Lab is working to change that, one study at a time.
