College as a Developmental Context for Emerging Adulthood in Autism: A Systematic Review of What We Know and Where We Go from Here

Age-Related Changes in Functional Skills and Daily Life Task Management Among Autistic Youth

IMPORTANCE

Autistic youth who graduate with a high school diploma may experience challenges in acquiring functional skills for everyday independence. Few studies have focused on how their functional and self-management skills change during the transition to adulthood.

OBJECTIVE

To examine cross-sectional differences and longitudinal changes in the functional and self-management skills of transition-age autistic youth.

DESIGN

Exploratory longitudinal study (18-mo follow-up).

SETTING

Community.

PARTICIPANTS

Autistic high school students who graduated with a high school diploma and their parents (N = 50).

OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (ASD).

RESULTS

Older youth (ages 18-20 yr) had significantly lower normative Social/Cognitive and Responsibility domain scores (i.e., self-management) than youth ages 14-17 yr. Approximately 2 yr later, youth in both age groups significantly improved in scaled scores on the Daily Activities and Responsibility domains.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Autistic youth's functional and self-management skills fell below those of nonautistic peers; however, these skills do change over time and are therefore appropriate targets for intervention. Plain-Language Summary: The findings of this study highlight the importance of focusing on the functional and self-management skills of autistic youth as part of their transition to adulthood. Occupational therapists can play a valuable role in helping autistic youth to achieve independence as adults by assessing their functional needs and strengths and by providing client-centered interventions.

Exploring Environmental Barriers and Facilitators to Inclusion on a University Campus for Autistic Students

Background

Attending university allows individuals to build independence, develop social networks, and attain valuable qualifications, contributing to enhanced outcomes in adulthood. However, autistic people have poorer participation rates and outcomes in university than those with all other disabilities or without disabilities. Most research conducted with autistic young adults in the university environment focuses on their social and communicative challenges and supports rather than on how the physical environment impacts an autistic student's university experience. Therefore, there is a need for research into how the sensory aspects of the university environment can affect the well-being and outcomes of autistic students.

Methods

This qualitative study explored the experiences of seven autistic university students in the physical spaces of an Australian university. Using a semi-structured interview guide, and photo-elicitation, we collected data in one-on-one interviews with seven autistic undergraduate students.

Results

We found that sensory aspects of physical spaces on university campuses are both enabling and challenging for autistic students. These aspects not only impact how students navigate and utilize aspects of the campus, but they also influence how students engage and participate at university. Autistic students need the space and resources to manage sensory overload on campus, and universities that seek to support autistic students need to consider the physical and sensory needs of this cohort.

Conclusions

Inclusive university education requires attention to the physical aspects of campuses that support the mental and physical well-being of autistic students.

Social visual attention as a treatment outcome: evaluating the social games for autistic adolescents (SAGA) intervention

A core feature of autism involves difficulty perceiving and interpreting eye gaze shifts as nonverbal communicative signals. A hypothesis about the origins of this phenotype is that it emerges from developmentally different social visual attention (SVA). We developed Social Games for Autistic Adolescents (SAGA; Scherf et al. BMJ Open 8(9):e023682, 2018) as a serious game intervention for autistic individuals to discover the significance of eye gaze cues. Previously, we demonstrated the effectiveness of SAGA to improve the perception and understanding of eye gaze cues and social skills for autistic adolescents (Griffin et al. JCPP Adv 1(3):e12041, 2021). Here, we determine whether increases in social visual attention to faces and/or target gazed-at objects, as measured via eye tracking during the same Gaze Perception task in the same study sample, moderated this improvement. In contrast to predictions, SVA to faces did not differentially increase for the treatment group. Instead, both groups evinced a small increase in SVA to faces over time. Second, Prior to the SAGA intervention, attention to faces failed to predict performance in the Gaze Perception task for both the treatment and standard care control groups. However, at post-test, autistic adolescents in the treatment group were more likely to identify the object of directed gaze when they attended longer to faces and longer to target objects. Importantly, this is the first study to measure social visual attention via eye tracking as a treatment response in an RCT for autism. NCT02968225.

Predicting academic success of autistic students in higher education

LAYMEN SUMMARY

What is already known about the topic?Autistic youths increasingly enter universities. We know from existing research that autistic students are at risk of dropping out or studying delays. Using machine learning and historical information of students, researchers can predict the academic success of bachelor students. However, we know little about what kind of information can predict whether autistic students will succeed in their studies and how accurate these predictions will be.What does this article add?In this research, we developed predictive models for the academic success of 101 autistic bachelor students. We compared these models to 2,465 students with other health conditions and 25,077 students without health conditions. The research showed that the academic success of autistic students was predictable. Moreover, these predictions were more precise than predictions of the success of students without autism.For the success of the first bachelor year, concerns with aptitude and study choice were the most important predictors. Participation in pre-education and delays at the beginning of autistic students' studies were the most influential predictors for second-year success and delays in the second and final year of their bachelor's program. In addition, academic performance in high school was the strongest predictor for degree completion in 3 years.Implications for practice, research, or policyThese insights can enable universities to develop tailored support for autistic students. Using early warning signals from administrative data, institutions can lower dropout risk and increase degree completion for autistic students.

Supporting Effective Transitions From University to Post-graduation for Autistic Students

BACKGROUND

The number of autistic students graduating is increasing; however, little is known regarding their transition out of university. Understanding this transition is particularly pertinent with regard to the employment of autistic graduates. It is vital that we understand autistic people's experiences of the transition and identify what support would be beneficial during this time.

METHOD

Thirty-four autistic graduates from the United Kingdom took part in a mixed-methods study exploring their transition experience. Both quantitative and qualitative questions were used to obtain in-depth information concerning participants' experiences. Participants completed questions regarding their experiences and emotions in relation to the transition, the support they received for the transition, and their career and post-graduation plans.

RESULTS

Participants reported high levels of fear and low preparedness for the transition. They did not feel well supported in preparing for the transition or for their future career. In the 6 months pre-graduation, 59% of participants had accessed emotion-related transition support and 70% accessed career-related support. Post-graduation, one-third accessed emotion-related or career-related support. Perspectives on this accessed support were mixed, as were transition experiences. Additional support desired included preparation for life changes, career planning, employment accessibility, and autism-specific support. Advice for future students centered on forward planning.

CONCLUSION

These results highlight the importance of supporting autistic students with the transition out of university. Service provision should be tailored to autistic students' needs and support early planning for the transition.