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Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the University Context: Peer Acceptance Predicts Intention to Volunteer

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Abstract

With growing numbers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering post-secondary institutions, strategies are needed to facilitate the social integration of these students. The goal of this study was to examine the role of various factors in university students’ acceptance of, and intention to volunteer with, a peer with ASD. Both contact quantity and quality emerged as significant predictors of acceptance; however, for those who had experienced direct contact with individuals with ASD, only perceived quality emerged as significant. Moreover, acceptance played a significant role in participants’ likelihood of signing up to volunteer. These findings point to the central role that positive experiences play in attitude formation for this population.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by scholarships from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Autism Research Training (ART) program funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to the first author, and a grant from Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and a Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) Scholar Award to the second.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada

    Emily Gardiner & Grace Iarocci

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  1. Emily Gardiner
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  2. Grace Iarocci
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Correspondence to Emily Gardiner.

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Gardiner, E., Iarocci, G. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the University Context: Peer Acceptance Predicts Intention to Volunteer. J Autism Dev Disord 44, 1008–1017 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1950-4

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