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. 2022 Mar 1;4(1):12-21.
doi: 10.1089/aut.2021.0012. Epub 2022 Mar 9.

Adjustment Across the First College Year: A Matched Comparison of Autistic, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and Neurotypical Students

Lauren M Baczewski  1   2 , Maria Pizzano  2 , Connie Kasari  1   2 , Alexandra Sturm  3
Affiliations

Adjustment Across the First College Year: A Matched Comparison of Autistic, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and Neurotypical Students

Lauren M Baczewski et al. Autism Adulthood. .

Abstract

Background: Although the number of autistic students attending higher education has grown substantially in recent decades, little is known about factors that support their retention and persistence in college. First-year experiences and adaptability to the college environment greatly impact students' decisions to remain enrolled. Despite the importance of first-year adjustment to persistence and retention, few studies have examined the adjustment experiences of first-year autistic students compared to those of matched nonautistic students.

Methods: This study used national survey data to compare the first-year college adjustment experiences of 222 freshmen, including 74 self-identified autistic students, 74 students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and 74 students without diagnoses (referred to as neurotypical; NT), matched on mental health and demographic characteristics. Students were compared on measures of academic, social, emotional, and institutional adjustment at the end of freshman year. Separate general linear models were used to investigate predictors of positive self-reported first-year adjustment.

Results: Autistic students reported significantly lower levels of social self-confidence than their NT and ADHD peers at the end of freshman year. On all other adjustment domains, students in the autism, ADHD, and NT groups did not significantly differ. Autistic students were not significantly different from their ADHD and NT peers in terms of satisfaction with their college experience or sense of belonging to their institution. Social factors, including social self-confidence and ease of making friends, emerged as important contributors to positive first-year adjustment outcomes across all groups.

Conclusions: When controlling for demographic factors and mental health characteristics entering college, autistic students do not significantly differ from their NT and ADHD peers on several domains of college adjustment. Future studies should further investigate the impact of mental health and student characteristics on college trajectories and outcomes for autistic students.

Keywords: adjustment; autism spectrum disorder; higher education; matched comparison groups; mental health.

Plain language summary

Why is this an important issue?: Although more autistic young people are enrolling in college, many do not finish their degrees. Adjusting more easily to college life in the first year can encourage students to stay enrolled. Not much is known about adjustment for autistic college students, in particular compared with their nonautistic peers.

What was the purpose of this study?: Our goal was to understand whether there were differences in how the three groups of first-year students adjust to college. Those three groups included the following: (1) autistic students, (2) students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (“ADHD”), and (3) neurotypical (“NT”) students (those who do not identify as having a disability). We wanted to see if the groups were similar or different in their first-year experiences. We also wanted to know what factors help autistic students adjust and feel comfortable during their first year.

What did the researchers do?: We compared survey responses about first-year adjustment across three groups of students. We know that students' background can affect their experience in college, so we matched each autistic student to one student with ADHD and one NT student so that they had similar background characteristics (e.g., gender and high school test scores). We compared the groups on campus, academic, emotional, and social experiences during the first year of college. Lastly, we determined which factors were most important for the successful first-year adjustment of autistic college students.

What were the results of the study?: Autistic students were less confident socially than their ADHD and NT peers but were not significantly different from their peers on many other domains, including satisfaction with their college experience. Having more social self-confidence and making friends more easily were important to the first-year adjustment of all students.

What do these findings add to what was already known?: While previous studies looked at academic adjustment, this study adds information about the social, emotional, and institutional adjustment of autistic college students.

What are the potential weaknesses of the study?: We used surveys that were not specifically designed for autistic and other neurodivergent people. Students who dropped out during their first year were not included in this study, and so, our findings only apply to students who completed their first year. There were a relatively small number of students in each group, which may have made it harder for us to see the differences in how these groups adjust to college. Lastly, our sample does not include students enrolled in 2-year colleges and is not representative of the racial/ethnic and gender diversity of the autistic community across the United States.

How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: These findings can guide colleges in choosing which resources to focus on for first-year students. Our results show that autistic students may benefit from more supports around social self-confidence during their first year of college. Mental health is another area that is important for autistic students and their success in college, and future studies should explore this topic more.

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Conflict of interest statement

No competing financial interests exist.

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