Educator perspectives on the postsecondary transition difficulties of students with autism.
Rebecca Elias, Ashley E Muskett, Susan W White
PMID 29034690WHAT IT FOUND
Educators said students with autism relied on parents for choices and supports after high school.
They also identified casual conversation, problem solving, and schedule management as key transition difficulties.
Key findings
01Three themes emerged: autonomy and interdependence, competence, and mature interpersonal relationships.
02Educators described reliance on parents, difficulty initiating tasks, time management, organizing activities, and problem solving.
03Educators described casual conversation and communicating needs as main weaknesses in interpersonal competence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The authors state the study had a relatively small number of groups and minimal data saturation. Focus groups can allow some members to pressure others to conform. All participants endorsed White ethnicity, and 90% completed graduate school. Participants were educators, not students or parents, so the study does not report student outcomes. The study was limited to a rural region spanning a radius of 65 miles around one institution.
Declared interests
No conflict of interest statement is supplied in the text. The publication types list NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these educator views as proof that any transition programme works. The study reports perceptions from 25 educators and gives no patient outcomes.