Abstract
Autistic students are a growing subgroup within post-secondary schooling; however, little is known about barriers to their success in that context. Research suggests autistic students face more challenges to completing post-secondary education than neurotypical students, but findings often rely on expert opinion and fail to incorporate first-hand perspectives. To address this gap, a qualitative inquiry into barriers to success for autistic post-secondary students was conducted. Thematic Analysis yielded 10 themes in three categories, while two separate cross-cutting themes emerged; themes interact with one another, intensifying concerns of autistic students. Findings can support post-secondary institutions to reflect on the extent to which these barriers are present for their autistic students and modify support services accordingly.
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Identity-first language will be used due to the growing evidence that person-first language increases stigma (e.g., Gernsbacher, 2017).
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This work was funded by SSHRC.
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Taylor M. Schembri-Mutch and Michael L. Zwiers contributed to the study design. Material preparation and data collection was performed by Taylor M. Schembri-Mutch. Data analysis was performed by Taylor M. Schembri-Mutch and Michael L. Zwiers. The first draft of the manuscript, all previous versions of the manuscript, and the final draft were was written, edited, and approved by Taylor M. Schembri-Mutch and Adam W. McCrimmon.
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Appendix 1: Interview Questions
Appendix 1: Interview Questions
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A)
Some people chose not to go to university/college. Why did you choose to attend a post-secondary institution?
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a.
Have you thought about what you would like to be doing in 5–10 years?
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b.
What do you hope to be doing? Do you have any specific goals?
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c.
How does attending a post-secondary institution help you in reaching these goals?
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a.
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B)
Most people are unsure as to what university/college will be like, but some have ideas or expectations about their experiences. Have your expectations been met while attending university/college?
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C)
What are some of the barriers to success both on and off campus that you have experienced while attending post-secondary school?
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D)
Have there been any other barriers or do you have any other concerns that you have not told me about?
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E)
Do you currently feel your university/college is equipped to support ASD students, like yourself, with their concerns and needs?
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a.
Do you think the university as an organization understands you and your needs?
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b.
What could the university do to better assist you?
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c.
Would anything prevent you from using services that the university provides?
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a.
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F)
Have you accessed other community or family supports to assist you with your needs and/or concerns?
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Schembri-Mutch, T.M., McCrimmon, A.W. & Zwiers, M.L. Understanding the Needs of Autistic Post-Secondary Students. J Autism Dev Disord 54, 2636–2650 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06010-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06010-w