Brief Report: Self-Reported Academic, Social, and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Scott L J Jackson, Logan Hart, Jane Thierfeld Brown and 1 others
PMID 29022149WHAT IT FOUND
Most college students with ASD reported lifetime suicidal behavior, and over 75% felt left out or isolated.
The survey describes their self-reported distress, not whether support helps.
Key findings
01Of the participants who answered the suicide questions, 41 (74.6%) reported lifetime suicidal behavior, and 30 (53.6% of the total sample) reported suicidal thoughts in the past year.
02Over 75% reported feeling left out, isolated, or lacking companionship some of the time or often, and loneliness was associated with number of close friends and satisfaction with friendships.
03Emotional distress scores were associated with loneliness, academic comfort, and AQ-10 scores, with these factors accounting for 49% of variance in DASS-21 scores.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
Only 56 students took part, recruited through disability staff, ASD groups, and ads, so the sample may not represent all students with ASD. There was no comparison sample of students without ASD, so rates of academic comfort, loneliness, bullying, and distress cannot be judged against typical college students. All data were anonymous self-report, so diagnoses, medications, and symptom levels could not be verified. One participant did not answer the suicide questions, so those suicide estimates are based on those who responded. Academic comfort was only a subjective student rating and was not linked to grades, so it does not show academic success. The study is a first report on suicidal behavior in this group and needs replication. The authors caution that the nature of the sample means results should be interpreted carefully.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the high rates of suicidal behavior and severe distress as proof that a support programme works or that these problems apply to every student with ASD. The survey is small, self-selected, and has no comparison group.