Filipe, M. G., Frota, S., & Vicente, S. G. (2018). Executive functions and prosodic abilities in children with high-functioning autism. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, Article 359. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00359

Siegle, D., McCoach, D. B., & Gubbins, E. J. (2023). Teachers’ beliefs about giftedness among twice-exceptional learners. Gifted Child Quarterly, 67(1), 3–17. https://doi.org/10.1177/00169862221125145

Xie, G.-H. (2020). What is ‘high-functioning’ in high-functioning autism? Asian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 3(4), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.34256/ajir2042

Zhao, X., & Li, W. (2023). The underrepresentation of twice-exceptional students in gifted programs: A qualitative exploration. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 46(1), 29–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/01623532231158952


Educational Bias Against High-Functioning Students With Autism

Autism is a broadly characterized psychological disorder, ranging from individuals lacking communication and cognitive abilities to those with above-average intelligence. However, grouping together all individuals on the spectrum without considering differences in capabilities can potentially discredit the academic competence of high-functioning autism students. I aim to examine the differences in teachers’ perceptions and systematic biases of those neurotypically gifted in comparison to high-functioning neurodivergent individuals. The underrepresentation of individuals with autism in gifted programs raises ethical concerns about educational inequality and biases, a topic I would like to further explore to reduce disparity and improve accessibility to educational opportunities in neurodivergent communities. 


University of California, Santa Barbara

As post-secondary environments start to adopt neurodiversity-affirming frameworks, more and more students on the autism spectrum are starting to enroll in university. However, these students may not have the support services that they need to succeed and may face many mental health issues. 

Current research shows that autistic students are often isolated and face loneliness, along with victimization. The current study (White et al., 2011) shows that the rate of students currently in the college environment with undiagnosed ASD is anywhere from 0.7%-1.9%. This shows that there are many students entering college who are autistic and are undiagnosed.

In the college environment, ASD is highly correlated with co-occurring mental health issues, including high social anxiety, depression, and aggression. 

This is an important piece of research that highlights the need for more attention to autism in the college environment. 

Autism & College 

National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Autism spectrum disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved April 6, 2022, from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd 

Autism spectrum disorder

Jackson et al. (2018) undertook a survey of autistic students to understand their experiences in post-secondary education. 

- Respondents reported being comfortable with their academic workload 

- Participants reported using 2.38 support services at college 

- 30.4% of the sample wanted additional or improved support services 

- The most frequently desired services were social support groups/peer mentorship and career planning services 

- 57.1% reported at least one co-occurring psychiatric diagnosis 

- 74.6% reported experiencing some form of suicidal behavior in their lifetime 

- Scores showed “Severe” levels of stress and “Extremely Severe” levels of depression and anxiety 

- The overall conclusion of this research is that supports currently offered by colleges and universities may not meet the needs of autistic students 

- Disability support services may be geared more towards students with learning disabilites and thus not meet the needs of autistic students 

- More research is needed on the mental health support services that are available to autistic students

 Experiences of autistic college students



Young adults on the autism spectrum have historically had lower rates of college participation than their peers. In recent years, however rates of college participation have been rising. McLeod (2019) analyzed the experiences of autistic college students in comparison to their neurotypical peers. 

This study used a survey to analyze the experiences of post-secondary autistic and neurotypical students in the United States. 

Some of the key findings include: 
- Rates of LGBTQ+ identity were higher among autistic samples, which is consistent with previous literature showing that LGBTQ+ identity is common in this population 

- Autistic students report similar levels of academic engagement, yet fall behind academically, which may be explained by the fact they struggle with executive functioning, reading comprehension, and writing 

- Students on the spectrum report lower-quality friendships and higher levels of bullying, which could suggest generalized social rejection as a result of stigmatized conditions 

- Autistic students reported poorer physical and mental health, which could be due to co-occurring mental health conditions and health disparities 

Autistic college experiences vs. neurotypical college experiences 

More and more autistic students are beginning to pursue post-secondary education. This is largely due to the increased awareness of autism and the increased opportunities for autistic students. VanBergeijk et al. (2008) provides an analysis of how we can begin to support students on the spectrum in post-secondary environments. 

The authors emphasize that finding a "goodness of fit" between the autistic student and the university is an important first step in the college transition process. If the student does not fit with the university environment, they will not have a successful transition. 

Disability centers on college campuses are generally well-equipped to provide accommodations and supports to students with specific learning disabilities, however they may not have the resources to provide supports to autistic students. These additional supports may be needed in the realms of organization, socialization, communication, and independent living. 

Specific supports can be implemented in the university environment to improve autistic students outcomes. This include social skills training and mental health supports. 

Finally, universities should make it a priority to prepare students for independent living and the transition to work after college graduation. The attainment of skills that will help students succeed in these areas is essential. 


Supporting autistic college students 

Soto et al. (2024) undertook an analysis of the experiences of college students with gender minority (GM), sexual minority (SM), and autistic identities. Their research has a host of findings that have implications for autistic college students with marginalized identities and for future research. 

Some of these findings include that the SM + GM + autism group showed the highest rate of distress. Similarly, the SM + GM + autism group, SM + autism, and SM + GM groups reported the most significant academic impacts. The SM + GM + autism group reported the lowest level of flourishing. The SM + GM + autism group also reported the highest risk of suicide. In addition, the SM + GM + autism group reported the highest frequency of NSSI engagement. 

These are only some of the findings of this study; the study also examined treatment engagement for students with these identities and found a host of findings in this realm. These findings are important to how we approach support services for LGBTQ+ autistic college students and for our understanding of neurodivergent queer experiences and identities. 

Soto et al. (2024) - Autism and sexual and gender minority identity among college students 


References for LGBTQ+ autistic college experiences

A topic that has very little research exploring it is the experiences of LGBTQ+ autistic college students. This is a topic that very few researchers have explored and there is little research on this area. However, we do know some things about this topic. 

Autistic college students frequently experience a dilemma of weather or not to disclose their experiences to others. This can cause barriers in accessing services and getting support. Students sometimes conceal their identities in order to conform with society. 

On college campuses, research shows that there is ableism in the LGBTQ+ community and heterosexism in the disability community, making it difficult for autistic students to fit in. 

Autistic LGBTQ+ students have more suicide attempts and mental health concerns than the general college student population, and also have less access to healthcare services. Students may be scared to disclose their identity to healthcare providers for fear of stigma and discrimination. 

Learn Before

Related

Learn After