Autistic college students face high rates of mental health concerns. In response, some colleges and universities have begun to put into place support services for this population. University counseling centers (UCCs) are a key resource for students with autism. Chandrasekhar & Hu (2024) analyzed UCC directors' perceptions of autistic students and their ability to provide services for autistic student populations.

This study found that 82% of clinicians report interacting with autistic students. Of those clinicians, 54% report feeling confident in their ability to diagnose autism, which is significantly lower than confidence rates for treating depression and anxiety. Only 39.3% of clinicians believed that autistic students' needs could be met at the UCC. In addition, 66.3% of respondents reported receiving no training from their university on autism.

This is just a snapshot of some of the findings of Chandrasekhar & Hu’s (2024) study. Their findings have implications for how we approach support services for autistic students and creating autism-affirming counseling services for this population.