C Thompson1,2, J McDonald3,4, T Kidd5,6, T Falkmer1,2,7, S Bölte1,2,8, S Girdler1,2. 1. Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC), Perth, Australia. 2. School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. 3. Counselling and Disability Services, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. 4. Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. 5. School of Psychology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia. 6. Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. 7. Pain and Rehabilitation Centre, and Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden. 8. Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research; Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.
Abstract
Background: Despite recognition of the benefits of post-school education in improving life outcomes for autistic adults their university completion rates remain low.Aim: To explore the experiences of undergraduate autistic university students participating in specialist peer mentoring (SPM) to identify active ingredients in the peer mentoring process and to examine the impact of SPM on social communication.Material and method: A total of 30 (8 female; M age = 22.3; SD = 6.7) undergraduate autistic university students engaged in SPM participated in this study. A quantitative pre-test post-test design examined changes in autistic traits. In parallel, the experiences of participating in SPM were explored through semi-structured interviews. Results: Improvements were noted at post-test on the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 total score p = 0.02), and its Social Communication, (p = 0.03) and Social Motivation (p = 0.03) sub-scales. Four themes emerged from the interviews: Developing Partnership and Understanding, Modelling and Practising Communication, Psychological Support and Grading and Planning Skills.Conclusions: These results indicated that the mentor-mentee partnership was a crucial active ingredient of SPM. This partnership appeared to modify social cognition and motivation for autistic university students through modelling and practising communication.Significance: These results demonstrate that SPM can support participation at university for autistic university students.
Background: Despite recognition of the benefits of post-school education in improving life outcomes for autistic adults their university completion rates remain low.Aim: To explore the experiences of undergraduate autistic university students participating in specialist peer mentoring (SPM) to identify active ingredients in the peer mentoring process and to examine the impact of SPM on social communication.Material and method: A total of 30 (8 female; M age = 22.3; SD = 6.7) undergraduate autistic university students engaged in SPM participated in this study. A quantitative pre-test post-test design examined changes in autistic traits. In parallel, the experiences of participating in SPM were explored through semi-structured interviews. Results: Improvements were noted at post-test on the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 total score p = 0.02), and its Social Communication, (p = 0.03) and Social Motivation (p = 0.03) sub-scales. Four themes emerged from the interviews: Developing Partnership and Understanding, Modelling and Practising Communication, Psychological Support and Grading and Planning Skills.Conclusions: These results indicated that the mentor-mentee partnership was a crucial active ingredient of SPM. This partnership appeared to modify social cognition and motivation for autistic university students through modelling and practising communication.Significance: These results demonstrate that SPM can support participation at university for autistic university students.
Authors: Julia Jones Huyck; Kelsey L Anbuhl; Brad N Buran; Henry J Adler; Samuel R Atcherson; Ozan Cakmak; Robert T Dwyer; Morgan Eddolls; Fadhel El May; Juergen-Theodor Fraenzer; Rebekah Funkhouser; Mathilde Gagliardini; Frederick J Gallun; Raymond L Goldsworthy; Samir Gouin; Joseph Heng; Ariel Edward Hight; Zina Jawadi; Damir Kovacic; Rachit Kumar; Santosh Kumar; Stacey R Lim; Chengeng Mo; Lisa S Nolan; Alexandra Parbery-Clark; Dominic V Pisano; Valluri R Rao; Robert M Raphael; Lina A J Reiss; Nathaniel J Spencer; Stephen J Tang; Viral D Tejani; Emma D Tran; Mikaeel Valli; Greg D Watkins; Rachel V Wayne; Lindsey R Wheeler; Stephanie L White; Victor Wong; M Caroline Yuk; J Tilak Ratnanather; Peter S Steyger Journal: Front Educ (Lausanne) Date: 2021-10-15