'Someone like-minded in a big place': Autistic young adults' attitudes towards autistic peer support in mainstream education.

The sample was small and homogeneous: 13 autistic young adults in the United Kingdom, all white British or Scottish, relatively highly educated, and none with learning disabilities, so the views may not transfer to non-speaking autistic people, autistic people with learning disabilities, undiagnosed people, or people outside the United Kingdom. Participants were school leavers reflecting on past school years, not current pupils, so their accounts may not match today's school environment. No participant had experienced formal autistic-specific peer support at school, so the findings describe desired support, not tested support. The study did not measure outcomes, so it cannot show that peer support improves friendship, mental health, or school participation. The research team had a neurodiversity paradigm and lived experience involvement, which may have influenced recruitment, questions, and interpretation. Interview formats were chosen by participants, but each format had few people, so the effect of format cannot be judged. The study did not interview non-autistic neurodivergent pupils, despite participants suggesting broader neurodivergent peer support.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. The study was funded by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Institute of Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Edinburgh and by University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine Public Engagement with Research Seed Fund Round One and the Institutional Strategic Support Fund.

Do not read this as evidence that autistic peer support improves school adjustment, friendship, or mental health. It reports reflections and preferences from 13 autistic school leavers, and no participants had experienced formal autistic-specific peer support at school.