Many young adults diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions (ASC) intend to go to college and/or university, yet research suggests that these individuals find aspects of college and university life challenging. To explore the views of individuals directly affected by these challenges, a systematic review of the existing qualitative literature in this area was conducted. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of these articles identified six superordinate themes: the involvement of professionals; academic, environmental, and social factors; wellbeing; communication; and understanding. The facilitators, obstacles and needs of students pervaded these themes and are discussed alongside implications for counsellors and psychologists working in schools.
AdolfssonM., & Simmeborn FleischerA. (2013). Applying the ICF to identify requirements for students with Asperger syndrome in higher education. Developmental Neurorehabilitation, 18, 190–202.
2.
AdreonD., & DurocherJ.S. (2007). Evaluating the college transition needs of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42, 271–279.
3.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
4.
AshbyC.E., & Causton-TheoharisJ. (2012). ‘Moving quietly through the door of opportunity’: Perspectives of college students who type to communicate. Equity & Excellence in Education, 45, 261–282.
5.
BarnhillG.P. (2014). Supporting students with Asperger syndrome on college campuses: Current practices. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 31, 3–15.
6.
Baron-CohenS., CassidyS., AuyeungB., AllisonC., AchoukhiM., RobertsonS., . . . LaiM.-C. (2014). Attenuation of typical sex differences in 800 adults with autism vs. 3,900 controls. PloS One, 9, e102251.
7.
BillingtonT. (2006). Working with autistic children and young people: Sense, experience and the challenges for services, policies and practices. Disability & Society, 21, 1–13.
8.
BölteS. (2014). The power of words: Is qualitative research as important as quantitative research in the study of autism? Autism, 18, 67–68.
9.
BraunV., & ClarkeV. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101.
10.
BrinckerhoffL.C. (1994). Developing effective self-advocacy skills in college-bound students with learning disabilities. Intervention in School and Clinic, 29, 229–237.
11.
BronfenbrennerU. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by design and nature. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
12.
BrownJ., & WolfL. (2014). Transition to higher education for students with autistic spectrum disorder. In J.McPartland, A.Klin, & F.Volkmar (Eds.), Asperger syndrome: Assessing and treating high-functioning autism spectrum disorders (2nd ed., pp. 367–393). London: The Guilford Press.
13.
CamarenaP.M., & SarigianiP.A. (2009). Postsecondary educational aspirations of high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and their parents. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 24, 115–128.
14.
CavanaghP.K., & VanBergeijkE.O. (2012). Transition planning for students with autism and other intellectual disabilities. In C.Franklin, M.B.Harris, & P.Allen-Meares (Eds.), The school services sourcebook (2nd ed., pp. 875–888). Oxford University Press.
15.
CarrollC., BoothA., & Lloyd-JonesM. (2012). Should we exclude inadequately reported studies from qualitative systematic reviews? An evaluation of sensitivity analyses in two case study reviews. Qualitative Health Research, 22, 1425–1434.
16.
Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. (2009). Systematic reviews: CRD's guidance for undertaking reviews in health care. York: Author. Retrieved 14 May 2016, from http://www.york.ac.uk/media/crd/Systematic_Reviews.pdf
17.
CurtinC., AndersonS.E., MustA., & BandiniL. (2010). The prevalence of obesity in children with autism: A secondary data analysis using nationally representative data from the National Survey of Children's Health. BMC Paediatrics, 10, 11.
18.
Dixon-WoodsM., BonasS., BoothA., JonesD.R., MillerT., SuttonA.J., . . . YoungB. (2006). How can systematic reviews incorporate qualitative research? A critical perspective. Qualitative Research, 6, 27–44.
19.
ElliottR., FischerC.T., & RennieD.L. (1999). Evolving guidelines for publication of qualitative research studies in psychology and related fields. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 38, 215–229.
20.
GardinerE., & IarocciG. (2013). Students with autism spectrum disorder in the university context: Peer acceptance predicts intention to volunteer. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44, 1008–1017.
21.
GibsonK., CartwrightC., KerriskK., CampbellJ., & SeymourF. (2015). What young people want: A qualitative study of adolescents’ priorities for engagement across psychological services. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 1057–1065.
22.
GlennonT.J. (2001). The stress of the university experience for students with Asperger syndrome. Work, 17, 183–190.
23.
GobboK., & ShmulskyS. (2014). Faculty experience with college students with autism spectrum disorders: A qualitative study of challenges and solutions. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 29, 13–22.
24.
Gomez-PinillaF., & HillmanC. (2013). The influence of exercise on cognitive abilities. Comprehensive Physiology, 3, 403–428.
25.
GriffithG.M., TotsikaV., NashS., & HastingsR.P. (2012). ‘I just don't fit anywhere’: Support experiences and future support needs of individuals with Asperger syndrome in middle adulthood. Autism, 16, 532–546.
26.
GuoS.S., WuW., ChumleaW.C., & RocheA.F. (2002). Predicting overweight and obesity in adulthood from body mass index values in childhood and adolescence. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 76, 653–658.
27.
HanleyT., & CuttsL.A. (2013). What is a systematic review? Counselling Psychology Review, 28, 3–6.
28.
HanleyT., WilliamsG., & SefiA. (2013). Pluralistic counselling for young people. In T.Hanley, N.Humphrey, & C.Lennie (Eds.), Adolescent Counselling Psychology (pp. 133–156). London: Routledge.
29.
HewittL.E. (2011). Perspectives on support needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorders: Transition to college. Topics in Language Disorders, 31, 273–285.
30.
HowlinP., GoodeS., HuttonJ., & RutterM. (2004). Adult outcome for children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45, 212–229.
31.
HowlinP., MossP., SavageS., & RutterM. (2013). Social outcomes in mid-to later adulthood among individuals diagnosed with autism and average nonverbal IQ as children. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 52, 572–581.
32.
JekelD., & LooS. (2002). So you want to go to college: Recommendations, helpful tips, and suggestions for success at college. Watertown, MA: Asperger's Association of New England.
33.
Jennes-CoussensM., Magill-EvansJ., & KoningC. (2006). The quality of life of young men with Asperger syndrome A brief report. Autism, 10, 403–414.
34.
KnottF., & TaylorA. (2014). Life at university with Asperger syndrome: A comparison of student and staff perspectives. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 18, 411–426.
35.
KroghK., & LindsayP. (1999). Including people with disabilities in research: Implications for the field of augmentative and alternative communication. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 15, 222–233.
36.
LawrenceD.H., AllecksonD.A., & BjorklundP. (2010). Beyond the roadblocks: Transitioning to adulthood with Asperger's disorder. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 24, 227–238.
37.
LiptakG.S., KennedyJ.A., & DosaN.P. (2011). Social participation in a nationally representative sample of older youth and young adults with autism. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 32, 277–283.
38.
LugnegardT., HallerbackM.U., & GillbergC. (2011). Psychiatric comorbidity in young adults with a clinical diagnosis of Asperger syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 1910–1917.
39.
MacLeodA., & GreenS. (2009). Beyond the books: case study of a collaborative and holistic support model for university students with Asperger syndrome. Studies in Higher Education, 34, 631–646.
40.
MacLeodA., LewisA., & RobertsonC. (2013). ‘Why should I be like bloody Rain Man?!’Navigating the autistic identity. British Journal of Special Education, 40, 41–49.
41.
MadriagaM. (2010). ‘I avoid pubs and the student union like the plague’: Students with Asperger syndrome and their negotiation of university spaces. Children's Geographies, 8, 39–50.
42.
MadriagaM., & GoodleyD. (2010). Moving beyond the minimum: Socially just pedagogies and Asperger's syndrome in UK higher education. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 14, 115–131.
43.
MahoneyD. (2008). College students’ attitudes toward individuals with autism. Dissertation Abstracts International, 68, 7672.
44.
MatthewsN.L., LyA.R., & GoldbergW.A. (2015). College students’ perceptions of peers with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 90–99.
45.
MitchellW., & BeresfordB. (2014). Young people with high‐functioning autism and Asperger's syndrome planning for and anticipating the move to college: what supports a positive transition? British Journal of Special Education, 41, 151–171.
46.
MorrisonJ.Q., SansostiF.J., & HadleyW.M. (2009). Parent perceptions of the anticipated needs and expectations for support for their college-bound students with Asperger's syndrome. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22, 78–87.
47.
MüllerE., SchulerA., & YatesG.B. (2008). Social challenges and supports from the perspective of individuals with Asperger syndrome and other autism spectrum disabilities. Autism, 12, 173–190.
48.
NevillR.E., & WhiteS.W. (2011). College students’ openness toward autism spectrum disorders: Improving peer acceptance. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41, 1619–1628.
49.
OrsmondG.I., ShattuckP.T., CooperB.P., SterzingP.R., & AndersonK.A. (2013). Social participation among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 43, 2710–2719.
50.
PellicanoE., DinsmoreA., & CharmanT. (2014). What should autism research focus upon? Community views and priorities from the United Kingdom. Autism, 18, 756–770.
51.
RogersC.R. (1957). The necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change. Journal of Consulting Psychology, 21, 95–103.
52.
ShattuckP.T., NarendorfS.C., CooperB., SterzingP.R., WagnerM., & TaylorJ.L. (2012). Postsecondary education and employment among youth with an autism spectrum disorder. Pediatrics, 129, 1042–1049.
53.
ShmulskyS., & GobboK. (2013). Autism spectrum in the college classroom: Strategies for instructors. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 37, 490–495.
54.
Simmeborn FleischerA. (2011). Alienation and struggle: everyday student-life of three male students with Asperger syndrome. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 14, 177–194.
55.
Simmeborn FleischerA. (2012). Support to students with Asperger syndrome in higher education — The perspectives of three relatives and three coordinators. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 35, 54–61.
56.
SimmonsL. (2008). Think differently — act positively: Public perceptions of autism. London: The National Autistic Society.
57.
StoddenR.A., & ZuckerS.H. (2004). Transition of youth with disabilities to postsecondary education. Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities, 39, 3–5.
58.
StröhleA. (2009). Physical activity, exercise, depression and anxiety disorders. Journal of Neural Transmission, 116, 777–784.
59.
TaylorM.J. (2005). Teaching students with autistic spectrum disorders in HE. Education+ Training, 47, 484–495.
60.
TestD.W., FowlerC.H., WoodW.M., BrewerD.M., & EddyS. (2005). A conceptual framework of self-advocacy for students with disabilities. Remedial and Special Education, 26, 43–54.
61.
ThomasJ., & HardenA. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, 45.
VanBergeijkE.O, KlinA., & VolkmarF. (2008). Supporting more able students on the autism spectrum: College and beyond. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 1359–1370.
64.
Van HeesV., MoysonT., & RoeyersH. (2015). Higher education experiences of students with autism spectrum disorder: Challenges, benefits and support needs. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 1673–1688.
65.
WehmanP.H., SchallC.M., McDonoughJ., KregelJ., BrookeV., MolinelliA., . . . ThissW. (2014). Competitive employment for youth with autism spectrum disorders: Early results from a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44, 487–500.
66.
WhiteS.W., OllendickT.H., & BrayB.C. (2011). College students on the autism spectrum: prevalence and associated problems. Autism, 15, 683–701.
67.
WoodsA.G., MahdaviE., & RyanJ.P. (2013). Treating clients with Asperger's syndrome and autism. Child Adolescent Psychiatry Mental Health, 7, 1–8.
