Abstract

Objective: College students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience elevated drop-out rates, peer difficulties, and mental health concerns compared to their neurotypical counterparts. Thus, the firsthand concerns of college students with ASD were examined, so that supports can be appropriately tailored. Methods: Responses of 31 college students with ASD were examined in relation to 39 demographically similar neurotypical students regarding students’ college experiences (e.g., social interactions, mental health, daily living habits). Students with ASD also provided recommendations for improving college support programs. Results: Difficulties unique to students with ASD included trouble conversing with peers, feeling isolated despite preferences to be alone, inaccessible extra-curricular activities, and experiencing anxiety and depression resulting from social demands. Notably, these students endorsed desire for a “social group” to learn from the experiences of successful students. Conclusions: Practical targets were identified for university-implemented support groups, such as navigating social interactions and processing experiences with peers.

摘要

目标：与神经正常的大学生相比，患有自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的大学生的辍学率、同伴困难和心理健康问题更高。因此，研究了患有 ASD 大学生的第一手问题，以便可以适当地调整支持。方法：研究了 31 名患有 ASD 的大学生与 39 名人口统计学相似的神经典型学生对学生大学经历（例如，社交互动、心理健康、日常生活习惯）的反应。患有 ASD 的学生还提供了改进大学支持计划的建议。结果：自闭症学生特有的困难包括难以与同龄人交谈、尽管喜欢独处却感到孤立、无法参加课外活动以及因社交需求而感到焦虑和抑郁。值得注意的是，这些学生赞同建立一个“社会团体”以从成功学生的经验中学习的愿望。结论：为大学实施的支持小组确定了实际目标，例如与同龄人进行社交互动和处理经验。