A Scoping Review of Peer Mentoring Programs for Autistic College Students

Morris, Isabelle F.; Matta, Christy; Fung, Lawrence K.

doi:10.1007/s40489-022-00325-7

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 49 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…One newly established model that attempts to facilitate the transition to independent living among autistic college students is the development of living and support programs on campuses (Ackles et al, 2014; Barnhill, 2014; Morris et al, 2022; Viezel et al, 2020). Campus-based ASD living and support programs provide programming regarding study habits, time management, internship preparation, and social interaction.…”

Section: Campus-based Living and Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One successful component of campus-based living and support programs is the use of peer support to provide individualized social and educational assistance to autistic students (Ames et al, 2016; Barnhill, 2014; Duerksen et al, 2021; Morris et al, 2022; Viezel et al, 2020). Peer support, which can be provided by both neurotypical peers and other autistic peers, may afford autistic students the opportunity to establish connections with other students as they face similar challenges adjusting to a new environment (Ackles et al, 2014).…”

Section: Campus-based Living and Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Campus-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Programs: Predictors of College Students’ Intentions to Participate

Halverson,

Lowmaster

2024

Focus Autism Other Dev Disabl

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Peer mentors play a crucial role in campus-based living and support programs that assist autistic students in their transition to college. However, limited research has examined the characteristics of potential peer mentors and incentives that may be necessary to staff such programs. The present study evaluated the relationship between the characteristics of college students and their intention to participate in an autism spectrum disorder-specific living and support program. Undergraduate students ( N = 210; 83% females, Mage = 18.9 years, SD = 1.2) completed questionnaires assessing personality characteristics, acceptance of individuals with disabilities, and intrinsic and extrinsic motives for potential participation. Results suggest that participants would be highly motivated to participate if course credit toward their major or monetary incentives were offered. In addition, a history of contact with autistic individuals and agreeableness emerged as the most robust predictors of students’ intention to participate. Findings from this study may improve inclusivity on college campuses.

show abstract

Section: Campus-based Living and Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Campus-based Living and Support Programsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Campus-Based Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Programs: Predictors of College Students’ Intentions to Participate

Halverson,

Lowmaster

2024

Focus Autism Other Dev Disabl

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Since A-Skills Online was launched in 2018, more research has emerged concerning the importance of support for autistic students at university. A scoping review by Morris and colleague [35] identified 15 unique programmes offered at higher education institutions in the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. Although these varied in specifics, the majority focused on the provision of general support in the navigation of university life.…”

Section: Limitations and Future Directionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Navigating University: The Design and Evaluation of a Holistic Support Programme for Autistic Students in Higher Education

Brownlow

Martin

Thompson³

et al. 2023

Education Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Successfully engaging with university study can be challenging for autistic students and has been highlighted in the research literature as an area of concern. This study sought to address support for autistic students at one Australian university through the development of a bespoke programme called A-Skills. The programme was co-designed with autistic students drawing on principles of self-determination theory and it aimed to develop study and student life skills. This paper presents a longitudinal evaluation of the programme using semi-structured interviews and user engagement metrics from the online platform. Our findings indicated that engagement with the programme varied between individuals but adopting a principle of co-design ensured that the topics of focus were important to the needs of the students it sought to support. Further, interview data suggested both positive sentiment and value towards the initiative amongst participants. Although online delivery enabled choice, there were potential challenges in fostering relatedness, which was addressed to some degree through synchronous online weekly sessions facilitated by an autistic student. Core to the success of A-Skills is the co-design approach as a central principle in the design, development and evaluation of the programme. With continued research and iterative design, the programme could be adopted more widely.

show abstract