Autism Spectrum Disorder and Postsecondary Pathways: A Descriptive Study

Abstract

Abstract Autism Spectrum Disorder and Postsecondary Placements: A Descriptive Study Narinder Kaur Dhaliwal Chair of the Supervisory Committee:Professor Ilene Schwartz Special Education Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder impacting social interaction and communication skills. ASD can cause restrictive or repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities, with associated challenges and co-morbidities that often carry over into adulthood. These can limit opportunities for higher education, socialization, and employment. Although much literature exists on educating children with ASD, there is less research and evidence, including parental and self-reports, on postsecondary experiences for teens with ASD, particularly of South Asian descent. This descriptive study investigated postsecondary options for teens with ASD from ethnically diverse backgrounds. An online survey collected data on the transition planning and decision-making process from high school to postsecondary from two groups: (1) US parents of ethnically diverse backgrounds excluding South Asian parents (n = 73) and, (2) South Asian American parents (n = 62). The following research questions guided the study: (1) What are teens with ASD doing in the two years post-high school? (2) What teen-related factors (level of functioning with ASD, ethnicity) or parent-related factors (level of education, involvement in transition planning processes, ethnicity) are related to postsecondary placements? (3) What parent factors (e.g., awareness of programming) impact postsecondary placements? Parent group categorical data was analyzed, and findings reveal little variation in teen and parent factors impacting postsecondary placements amongst the two groups. T-test analyses further determined that there is a statistically significant difference in the mean age of diagnosis for ASD for teens from the US group ( = 8.47 years old) and the teens from the South Asian American group ( = 10.88 years old). Other non-statistically relevant findings include parents report 64% of their teens as moderately functioning with ASD. In postsecondary, 40% of teens are involved in working part/full time or volunteering, 32% are engaged in postsecondary education and 28% of teens with ASD are unemployed or taking a gap year.