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The Association Between Autism Spectrum Traits and the Successful Transition to Mainstream Secondary School in an Australian School-Based Sample

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Abstract

The transition to secondary school is an important educational milestone impacting wellbeing and academic achievement. Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be vulnerable during transition however little is known about how Autism Spectrum (AS) traits influence transition outcomes. Generalised estimating equations were used to examine how AS traits were associated with four indicators of successful transition in a school-based sample of 51 students. Higher AS traits were associated with lower quality of life, school belonging and mental health, however the hypothesised decline after school transition was not supported. Characteristics of both the primary and secondary school appeared to be contributing to the wellbeing of students with high AS traits which could be clarified by further investigation with a larger sample.

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Notes

  1. A K-12 school provides a continuous education from Kindergarten through to Year 12 in one educational setting.

  2. Explanatory letter provided in the Appendix.

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Acknowledgments

This paper formed part of a doctoral thesis for Moira Whelan. Moira Whelan was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award scholarship to complete the Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) Degree.

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  1. Deakin Child Study Centre, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Waterfront Campus, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia

    Moira Whelan, Jane McGillivray & Nicole J. Rinehart

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  1. Moira Whelan
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  3. Nicole J. Rinehart
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All authors participated in the conception and design of the study. MW was responsible for recruitment, data collection, data analysis, and manuscript drafting. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Moira Whelan.

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Appendices

Appendix

Explanatory letter to Families

Dear Parent/guardian,

You are receiving this letter because you have a child in Grade 6 this year. My name is Moira Whelan and I am a PhD candidate at Deakin University working under the supervision of Professor Nicole Rinehart, Professor Jane McGillivray and Dr Tamara May.

This year I hope to visit primary schools in the Geelong region to identify factors that are associated with successful school transition. This research will play a vital role in helping teachers and schools to identify students who need more support during school transition and to implement more effective transition supports for all students. A specific focus of this research is to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as they may be especially vulnerable during school transition, therefore this project requires both students with and without ASD.

If you and your child would like to participate in this research, I will visit your child at school on two occasions, one week apart. During the first school visit your child will be asked to complete a few simple activities such as assembling blocks to match a pattern and defining the meaning of some words. Your child will also be asked to complete three short questionnaires relating to their sense of school belonging, anxiety and their life in general. The second visit will involve some simple tasks on an iPad and two questionnaires about their strengths and difficulties and the supports they have. Each school visit will be approximately 45 min.

You will also be asked to complete some questionnaires pertaining to your child’s social and emotional functioning, quality of life, sleep, attention, behaviour and participation in activities in the home, school and community. You can complete these questionnaires online by visiting the webpage, AllLearn.org.au, or if you prefer, the researcher can provide you with paper-based questionnaires with a reply-paid envelope. The questionnaires will take approximately 45 min to complete.

This research has been approved by the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee, the Department of Education and Training and Catholic Education Melbourne. If you would like to know more about this research, please don’t hesitate to email me: mwhelan@deakin.edu.au.

You can register for the study by clicking on the following link: AllLearn.org.au.

Kind regards,

Moira Whelan.

PhD Candidate.

Deakin University.

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Whelan, M., McGillivray, J. & Rinehart, N.J. The Association Between Autism Spectrum Traits and the Successful Transition to Mainstream Secondary School in an Australian School-Based Sample. J Autism Dev Disord 51, 1759–1771 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04655-5

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