ABSTRCT

Background: Parents continue to support to autistic university students, and consequently, experience considerable stress.

Aim: To explore the experiences of parents of specialist peer mentored university students and to examine these using the ICF as a theoretical framework.

Method: Thirteen semi-structured interviews were completed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Directive content analysis linked the data to the ICF core set for autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Results: Five interrelated themes emerged: The mentoring relationship is a facilitator, Developing skills for university, Mentoring changes lives, Mentoring is not a substitute for other supports, and University is an emotional rollercoaster. Specialist peer mentoring was linked to Activity and Participation (44%) and Environmental factors (32%) of the ICF core set for ASD.

Conclusion: These results add to the specialist peer mentoring evidence-base, and indicate perceived benefits for autistic university students and their parents. An unintended consequence was that parents broadened their participation in activities.

摘要

背景：父母继续支持自闭症大学生，因此承受了相当大的压力。

目的: 探索专家同伴指导大学生家长的经验，并使用 ICF 作为理论框架来检验这些经验。

方法：完成十三个半结构化访谈并使用主题分析进行分析。指令内容分析将数据与 ICF 自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 核心集相关联。

结果：出现了五个相互关联的主题：师徒关系是促进者，培养大学技能，师徒改变生活，师徒不能替代其他支持，大学是情感过山车。专家同伴指导与 ASD 的 ICF 核心集的活动和参与 (44%) 和环境因素 (32%) 相关联。

结论：这些结果增加了专家同伴指导的证据基础，并表明对自闭症大学生及其父母的感知好处。一个意想不到的后果是父母扩大了他们对活动的参与。