College Students’ Openness Toward Autism Spectrum Disorders: Improving Peer Acceptance

• Published in: Journal of autism and developmental disorders Vol. 41; no. 12; pp. 1619 - 1628
• Main Authors: Nevill, Rose E. A., White, Susan W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.12.2011; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adolescent; Applied Behavior Analysis; Attitude; Attitudes toward Disabilities; Autism; Autistic spectrum disorders; Behavior; Behavior Patterns; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child and School Psychology; Child clinical studies; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology; College Students; Community Colleges; Comparative Analysis; Developmental disorders; Educational Environment; Engineering; Engineering Education; Familiarity; Female; Humans; Infantile autism; Interpersonal Relations; Isolation; Mainstreaming; Majors (Students); Male; Medical sciences; Mental retardation; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurosciences; Openness; Original Paper; Pediatrics; Peer Acceptance; Peer Group; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Physical Sciences; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public Health; Social Behavior; Social interactions; Student Financial Aid; Students; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Undergraduate students; Universities; Young Adult; Openness; College student; Autism; Adult; Acceptance; College transition; Human; Social acceptability; Peer relation; University environment; Developmental disorder; Student; Pervasive developmental disorder; Social interaction
• ISSN: 0162-3257; 1573-3432
• DOI: 10.1007/s10803-011-1189-x

One probable consequence of rising rates of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis in individuals without co-occurring intellectual disability is that more young adults with diagnoses or traits of ASD will attend college and require appropriate supports. This study sought to explore college students’ openness to peers who demonstrate ASD-characteristic behaviors. Results showed a significant difference in openness between students who had a first-degree relative with an ASD ( n  = 18) and a gender-matched comparison group of students without such experience ( F  = 4.85, p  = .035). Engineering and physical science majors did not demonstrate more overall openness. Universities should make efforts to prevent social isolation of students with ASD, such as programs to educate students about ASD and supports to ease college transition.