A mixed method analysis of autistic college students’ experiences

Hillier, A., Veneziano, J., Desruisseaux, J., Wood, A., Buckingham, A., Syed, A., & Patel, A. (2025). A mixed method analysis of autistic college students’ experiences. Journal of American College Health, 74(1), 60-70. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2025.2484558

Publication date: 1 Apr 2025 Added to AutiHub: 9 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
7
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 7 (14.3%)

Abstract

Objective: Previous research has suggested that autistic college students experience lower degree completion, along with social and mental health challenges. Other recent work has shown similar outcomes between autistic and non-autistic students. Participants: Participants in this study were autistic college students. Methods: We implemented a mixed methods approach including thematic analysis of interviews conducted at the end of the semester, along with weekly surveys, capturing autistic students’ college experiences in real time. Qualitative findings were integrated with quantitative analysis of standardized measures of campus connectedness, student satisfaction and student adjustment to college. Results: Weekly surveys were generally positive with most not reporting any challenges. End of semester interviews reflected similar results. Feelings of belonging on campus and college satisfaction were high. Conclusion: Gathering first-hand accounts on a weekly basis provided a unique account of autistic students’ experiences, and while not the case for all, many were successfully navigating the demands of college life.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
72
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
9 / 72 (12.5%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
16 / 219 (7.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 16 / 67 (23.9%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 14 / 205 (6.8%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
67 / 219 (30.6%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 58 / 205 (28.3%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
51 / 67 (76.1%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 51 / 219 (23.3%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 44 / 58 (75.9%).
  1. Stewart E. Cooper , Debra A.G. Robinson (1988). Psychometric Properties of the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire with Engineering and Science Students . Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development, 21(3), 124-129. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  2. Theo Bakker , Lydia Krabbendam , Sandjai Bhulai , Martijn Meeter , Sander Begeer (2023). Study progression and degree completion of autistic students in higher education: a longitudinal study . Higher Education, 85(1), 1-26. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  3. Maggi Savin‐Baden , Claire Howell Major (2012). Qualitative Research: The essential guide to theory and practice .
    Type: Book OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W646675392
    Crossref OpenAlex
  4. Chaia Flegenheimer , K. Suzanne Scherf (2022). College as a Developmental Context for Emerging Adulthood in Autism: A Systematic Review of What We Know and Where We Go from Here . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(5), 2075-2097. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  5. Gloria Mittmann , Beate Schrank , Verena Steiner-Hofbauer (2024). Portrayal of autism in mainstream media – a scoping review about representation, stigmatisation and effects on consumers in non-fiction and fiction media . Current Psychology, 43(9), 8008-8017. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  6. Ru Ying Cai , Amanda L. Richdale (2016). Educational Experiences and Needs of Higher Education Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(1), 31-41. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  7. Kristen Ashbaugh , Robert L. Koegel , Lynn Kern Koegel (2017). Increasing social integration for college students with autism spectrum disorder. Behavioral Development Bulletin, 22(1), 183-196. American Psychological Association (APA).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  8. Rodríguez González María Soledad , Tinajero Vacas Carolina , Guisande Couñago María Adelina , Páramo Fernández , María Fernanda (2012). The Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ) for Use with Spanish Students . Psychological Reports, 111(2), 624-640. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  9. Jane D. McLeod , Elizabeth M. Anderson (2023). Autistic Traits and College Adjustment . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(9), 3475-3492. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  10. Matthew Scott , Jenni Leppanen , Melissa Allen , Chris Jarrold , Felicity Sedgewick (2023). Longitudinal Analysis of Mental Health in Autistic University Students Across an Academic Year . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(3), 1107-1116. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  11. Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology . Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  12. Kathleen D. Viezel , Elizabeth Williams , Wesley H. Dotson (2020). College-Based Support Programs for Students With Autism . Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 35(4), 234-245. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  13. Devon White , Ashleigh Hillier , Alice Frye , Emily Makrez (2019). College Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Students on the Autism Spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(7), 2699-2705. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  14. Julie L. Hotchkiss , Robert E. Moore , M. Melinda Pitts (2006). Freshman Learning Communities, College Performance, and Retention . Education Economics, 14(2), 197-210. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  15. Jane D McLeod , Amelia Hawbaker , Emily Meanwell (2021). The health of college students on the autism spectrum as compared to their neurotypical peers . Autism, 25(3), 719-730. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  16. Tierra M. Freeman , Lynley H. Anderman , Jane M. Jensen (2007). Sense of Belonging in College Freshmen at the Classroom and Campus Levels . The Journal of Experimental Education, 75(3), 203-220. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  17. Robert W. Baker , Ogretta V. McNeil , Bohdan Siryk (1985). Expectation and reality in freshman adjustment to college. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 32(1), 94-103. American Psychological Association (APA).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  18. Kashia A Rosenau , Emily Hotez , Priyanka Fernandes , Christopher Gomez , Kevin Eagan , Lindsay Shea et al. (2023). Anxiety and Depression in Autistic College Students: The Freshman Survey Results . Cureus, 15(3), e35820-e35820. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  19. Karen Leppel (2002). Similarities and Differences in the College Persistence of Men and Women . The Review of Higher Education, 25(4), 433-450. Project MUSE.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  20. Jane D. McLeod , Emily Meanwell , Amelia Hawbaker (2019). The Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Comparison to Their Neurotypical Peers . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(6), 2320-2336. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  21. David L. Morgan (1993). Qualitative Content Analysis: A Guide to Paths not Taken . Qualitative Health Research, 3(1), 112-121. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  22. Helen Goddard , Anna Cook (2022). “I Spent Most of Freshers in my Room”—A Qualitative Study of the Social Experiences of University Students on the Autistic Spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 52(6), 2701-2716. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  23. Jill Locke , Anthony Osuna , Raine J. Myrvold , Jennifer Schoffer Closson (2024). Supporting Autistic College Students: Examining the Mentoring, Organization and Social Support for Autism Inclusion on Campus (MOSSAIC) Program . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(6), 2094-2107. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  24. Hsiu-Fang Hsieh , Sarah E. Shannon (2005). Three Approaches to Qualitative Content Analysis . Qualitative Health Research, 15(9), 1277-1288. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  25. Tara Chandrasekhar , Qin Hu, (2024). Meeting the mental health needs of autistic college students: a survey of university and college counseling center clinicians . Journal of American College Health, 72(1), 40-46. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  26. Hyungshim Jang , Eun Joo Kim , Johnmarshall Reeve (2012). Longitudinal test of self-determination theory's motivation mediation model in a naturally occurring classroom context. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(4), 1175-1188. American Psychological Association (APA).
    Type: Article DOI: 10.1037/a0028089 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2166007140
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  27. Amy L. Accardo , Kimberly Bean , Barbara Cook , Ann Gillies , Rebecca Edgington , S. Jay Kuder et al. (2019). College Access, Success and Equity for Students on the Autism Spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(12), 4877-4890. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  28. Dominic Trevisan , Elina Birmingham (2016). Examining the relationship between autistic traits and college adjustment . Autism, 20(6), 719-729. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  29. Zoran Mihanović , Ana Barbara Batinić , Jurica Pavičić (2016). THE LINK BETWEEN STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH FACULTY, OVERALL STUDENTS' SATISFACTION WITH STUDENT LIFE AND STUDENT PERFORMANCES . Review of Innovation and Competitiveness, 2(1), 37-60. Juraj Dobrila University of Pula.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  30. Amedeo P. Giorgi , Barbro M. Giorgi (2003). The descriptive phenomenological psychological method. In Qualitative research in psychology: Expanding perspectives in methodology and design. (pp. 243-273). American Psychological Association.
    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1037/10595-013 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4237968712
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  31. Karís Casagrande , Kyle M. Frost , Kathryn M. Bailey , Brooke R. Ingersoll (2020). Positive Predictors of Life Satisfaction for Autistic College Students and Their Neurotypical Peers . Autism in Adulthood, 2(2), 163-170. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  32. Sohyun An Kim , Lauren Baczewski , Maria Pizzano , Connie Kasari , Alexandra Sturm (2023). Discrimination and Harassment Experiences of Autistic College Students and Their Neurotypical Peers: Risk and Protective Factors . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(12), 4521-4534. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  33. So Yoon Kim , Shannon Crowley , Kristen Bottema‐Beutel (2021). Autistic undergraduate students’ transition and adjustment to higher education institutions . Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 89, 101883. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  34. Jill C. Underhill , Jaclyn Clark , Rebecca S. Hansen , Hillary Adams (2024). Exploring Autistic College Students’ Perceptions and Management of Peer Stigma: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(3), 1130-1142. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  35. Jo M. Hendrickson , Suzanne Woods-Groves , Derek B. Rodgers , Shawn Datchuk (2017). Perceptions of Students with Autism and Their Parents: The College Experience . Education and Treatment of Children, 40(4), 571-596. Project MUSE.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  36. Stefania D. Petcu , Dalun Zhang , Yi-Fan Li (2021). Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Their First-Year College Experiences . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(22), 11822. MDPI AG.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  37. Virginia Braun , Victoria Clarke (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 18(3), 328-352. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  38. Danielle Ward , Amanda A. Webster (2018). Understanding the Lived Experiences of University Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Phenomenological Study . International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 65(4), 373-392. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  39. Jennifer C. Sarrett (2018). Autism and Accommodations in Higher Education: Insights from the Autism Community . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 679-693. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  40. Inbar Aharoni Zorach , Orly Lipka (2023). Adjustment to higher education among students with mental health disorders . Higher Education Research & Development, 42(1), 1-17. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  41. Yasamine Bolourian , Sasha M. Zeedyk , Jan Blacher (2018). Autism and the University Experience: Narratives from Students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(10), 3330-3343. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  42. Jiedi Lei , Steph Calley , Mark Brosnan , Chris Ashwin , Ailsa Russell (2020). Evaluation of a Transition to University Programme for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(7), 2397-2411. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  43. Schreiner LA. (2009). Linking Student Satisfaction and Retention . Linking Student Satisfaction and Retention.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  44. Ashleigh Hillier , Jody Goldstein , Lauren Tornatore , Emily Byrne , Hannah M. Johnson (2019). Outcomes of a peer mentoring program for university students with disabilities . Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 27(5), 487-508. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  45. Robyn Cant , Swapnali Gazula , Colleen Ryan (2023). Predictors of nursing student satisfaction as a key quality indicator of tertiary students' education experience: An integrative review . Nurse Education Today, 126, 105806. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  46. Tara Chandrasekhar (2020). Supporting the needs of college students with autism spectrum disorder . Journal of American College Health, 68(8), 936-939. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  47. Jessica Johnson , Robin L. Dodds , Jeffrey J. Wood (2024). Experiences of Autistic College Students in Higher Education and Their Relations with Faculty . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(8), 2902-2916. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  48. Jiedi Lei , Mark Brosnan , Chris Ashwin , Ailsa Russell (2020). Evaluating the Role of Autistic Traits, Social Anxiety, and Social Network Changes During Transition to First Year of University in Typically Developing Students and Students on the Autism Spectrum . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 50(8), 2832-2851. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  49. Lynn Clouder , Mehmet Karakus , Alessia Cinotti , María Virginia Ferreyra , Genoveva Amador Fierros , Patricia Rojo (2020). Neurodiversity in higher education: a narrative synthesis . Higher Education, 80(4), 757-778. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  50. Nicole N. Capriola-Hall , Alexis M. Brewe , Josh Golt , Susan W. White (2021). Anxiety and Depression Reduction as Distal Outcomes of a College Transition Readiness Program for Adults with Autism . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(1), 298-306. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  51. Raine Myrvold, Christina Kang-Yi, Lindsay K Frederick, Lauren Nehilla, Jennifer Schoffer Closson, Jill Locke* (2021). Understanding the Experiences of Autistic College Students: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Analysis . International Journal of Autism & Related Disabilities, 54, 1. Gavin Publishers.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  52. Samara M. Wolpe (2026). Promoting Success in College: A Scoping Review of Autistic Students’ Postsecondary Education Experiences . Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 13(2), 501-519. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  53. Priscilla Samson (2021). Campus Connectedness and Its Relationship to Stress, Anxiety and Depression among Nepalese Undergraduate Nursing Students . Open Journal of Nursing, 11(10), 871-881. Scientific Research Publishing, Inc..
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  54. Lee RM (2000). C. Cultural orientation, past multicultural experience, and a sense of belonging on campus for Asian American college students . J Coll Stud Dev, 41, 110.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  55. Sarah Ketchen Lipson , Sasha Zhou , Sara Abelson , Justin Heinze , Matthew Jirsa , Jasmine Morigney et al. (2022). Trends in college student mental health and help-seeking by race/ethnicity: Findings from the national healthy minds study, 2013–2021 . Journal of Affective Disorders, 306, 138-147. Elsevier BV.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  56. Jiedi Lei , Ailsa Russell (2021). Understanding the role of self-determination in shaping university experiences for autistic and typically developing students in the United Kingdom . Autism, 25(5), 1262-1278. SAGE Publications.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  57. Shi W (2014). IIE Annual Conference Proceedings . IIE Annual Conference Proceedings.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  58. Denise Davidson , Cara M. DiClemente , Elizabeth Hilvert (2023). Experiences and insights of college students with autism spectrum disorder: an exploratory assessment to inform interventions . Journal of American College Health, 71(1), 10-13. Informa UK Limited.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  59. Dara V. Chan , Julie D. Doran , Osly D. Galobardi (2023). Beyond Friendship: The Spectrum of Social Participation of Autistic Adults . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(1), 424-437. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  60. Hannah Scott , Elizabeth Donovan (2021). Student Adaptation to College Survey: The Role of Self-Compassion in College Adjustment . Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, 26(2), 101-112. Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology.
    Crossref OpenAlex
  61. (n.d.). Karhbet CM. Predictors of Campus Connectedness in Graduate Students (Order No. 1592390) [ProQuest dissertations & theses A&I]; Publicly Available Content Database. University of Louisiana at Lafayette; 2015.
    Type: Other
    Crossref
  62. Elizabeth Morgan , Rylin Rodgers , John Tschida (2022). Addressing the Intersectionality of Race and Disability to Improve Autism Care . Pediatrics, 149(Supplement 4). American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
  63. Causey J (2022). Completing College: National and State Report on Six-Year Completion Rates for Fall 2015 Beginning Cohort (Signature Report 20) . Completing College: National and State Report on Six-Year Completion Rates for Fall 2015 Beginning Cohort (Signature Report 20).
    Type: Other
    Crossref