Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Brief Report: Self-Reported Academic, Social, and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

  • S.I. : College experiences for students with ASD
  • Published:
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Increasing numbers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are enrolling in post-secondary academic institutions. However, research indicates that post-secondary students with ASD are struggling more than their typically developing peers, with high rates of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and an increased incidence of dropping-out before completion of their degrees. The current study utilized an online survey to gain insight into the self-reported academic, social, and mental health experiences of post-secondary students with ASD. Participants reported high levels of academic comfort, but struggled with issues of isolation/loneliness and high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Of greatest concern, were the nearly three-quarters of participants who reported lifetime suicidal behaviors. Further analysis on collected data and implications of findings are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Allison, C., Auyeung, B., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2012). Toward brief “red flags” for autism screening: The short autism spectrum quotient and the short quantitative checklist in 1000 cases and 3000 controls. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 51(2), 202–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • American College Health Association. (2015). American college health association-national college health assessment IIb: Undergraduate students reference group executive summary spring 2015. Hanover, MD: American College Health Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, C., & Butt, C. (2017). Young adults on the autism spectrum at college: Successes and stumbling blocks. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(10), 3029–3039.

  • Ashwood, K. L., Gillan, N., Horder, J., Hayward, H., Woodhouse, E., McEwen, F. S., … & Cadman, T. (2016). Predicting the diagnosis of autism in adults using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire. Psychological Medicine, 46(12), 2595–2604.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beiter, R., Nash, R., McCrady, M., Rhoades, D., Linscomb, M., Clarahan, M., & Sammut, S. (2015). The prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and stress in a sample of college students. Journal of Affective Disorders, 173, 90–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, J. T., Wolf, L. E., & Kroesser, S. (2014). Innovative programming to support college students with autism spectrum disorders. In F. R. Volkmar, B. Reichow & J. McPartland (Eds.), Adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders (pp. 121–130). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Cassidy, S., Bradley, P., Robinson, J., Allison, C., McHugh, M., & Baron-Cohen, S. (2014). Suicidal ideation and suicide plans or attempts in adults with Asperger’s syndrome attending a specialist diagnostic clinic: A clinical cohort study. The Lancet Psychiatry, 1(2), 142–147.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, D. L., Baio, J., Braun, K. V. N., Bilder, D., Charles, J., Constantino, J. N., … & Lee, L. C. (2016). Prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years: Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 Sites, United States, 2012. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 65(3), 1–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doyle, C., McDougle, C., & Stigler, K. (2014). Pharmacotherapy of behavioral symptoms and psychiatric comorbidities in adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders. In F. R. Volkmar, B. Reichow & J. McPartland (Eds.), Adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorders (pp. 161–191). New York, NY: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Drake, S. (2014). College experience of academically successful students with autism. Journal of Autism, 1(5), 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elias, R., & White, S. W. (2017). Autism goes to college: Understanding the needs of a student population on the rise. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3075-7.

  • Fein, D., Barton, M., Eigsti, I. M., Kelley, E., Naigles, L., Schultz, R. T., … & Troyb, E. (2013). Optimal outcome in individuals with a history of autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 54(2), 195–205.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gelbar, N. W., Shefcyk, A., & Reichow, B. (2015). A comprehensive survey of current and former college students with autism spectrum disorders. The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine, 88(1), 45–68.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gelbar, N. W., Smith, I., & Reichow, B. (2014). Systematic review of articles describing experience and supports of individuals with autism enrolled in college and university programs. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(10), 2593–2601.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Grondhuis, S. N., & Aman, M. G. (2012). Assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 6(4), 1345–1365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, M. E., Waite, L. J., Hawkley, L. C., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2004). A short scale for measuring loneliness in large surveys: Results from two population-based studies. Research on Aging, 26(6), 655–672.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lecavalier, L., Wood, J. J., Halladay, A. K., Jones, N. E., Aman, M. G., Cook, E. H., … & Sullivan, K. A. (2014). Measuring anxiety as a treatment endpoint in youth with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(5), 1128–1143.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, A., & Perry, A. (2011). Outcomes in adolescents and adults with autism: A review of the literature. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5(4), 1271–1282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales (2nd edn.). Sydney: The Psychology Foundation of Australia Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maddox, B. B., & White, S. W. (2015). Comorbid social anxiety disorder in adults with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(12), 3949–3960.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, L., Wagner, M., Knokey, A.-M., Marder, C., Nagle, K., Shaver, D., & Schwarting, M. (2011). The post-high school outcomes of young adults with disabilities up to 8 years after high school (A report from the National Longitudinal Transition Study–2 [NLTS2; NCSER 2011–3005]). Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.

  • Osman, A., Bagge, C. L., Gutierrez, P. M., Konick, L. C., Kopper, B. A., & Barrios, F. X. (2001). The Suicidal behaviors questionnaire-revised (SBQ-R): Validation with clinical and nonclinical samples. Assessment, 8(4), 443–454.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paquette-Smith, M., Weiss, J., & Lunsky, Y. (2014). History of suicide attempts in adults with Asperger syndrome. Crisis, 35(4), 273–277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Richdale, A. L., Baker, E., Short, M., & Gradisar, M. (2014). The role of insomnia, pre-sleep arousal and psychopathology symptoms in daytime impairment in adolescents with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Sleep Medicine, 15(9), 1082–1088.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Volkmar, F. R., Jackson, S. L., & Hart, L. (2017). Transition issues and challenges for youth with autism spectrum disorders. Pediatric Annals, 46(6), e219-e223.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • White, S. W., Elias, R., Capriola-Hall, N. N., Smith, I. C., Conner, C. M., Asselin, S. B., … & Mazefsky, C. A. (2017). Development of a college transition and support program for students with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(10), 3072–3078.

  • White, S. W., Ollendick, T. H., & Bray, B. C. (2011). College students on the autism spectrum: Prevalence and associated problems. Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, 15(6), 683–701.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmerman, D. L., Ownsworth, T., O’Donovan, A., Roberts, J., & Gullo, M. J. (2016). Independence of hot and cold executive function deficits in high-functioning adults with autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 10, 24.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

There is no direct funding to report for this study, however, the position of Scott L. J. Jackson is currently funded by the NIMH (T32 MH018268).

Author Contributions

Study design and manuscript preparation was performed by SJ, LH, JB, and FV. Data collection and analysis was performed by SJ. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Study Center, School of Medicine, Yale University, 230 South Frontage Road, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA

    Scott L. J. Jackson, Logan Hart, Jane Thierfeld Brown & Fred R. Volkmar

  2. College Autism Spectrum, 41 Crossroads Plaza #221, West Hartford, CT, 06117, USA

    Jane Thierfeld Brown

Authors
  1. Scott L. J. Jackson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Logan Hart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jane Thierfeld Brown
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fred R. Volkmar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Scott L. J. Jackson.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jackson, S.L.J., Hart, L., Brown, J.T. et al. Brief Report: Self-Reported Academic, Social, and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 48, 643–650 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3315-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3315-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation