Exploring the Career Motivations, Strengths, and Challenges of Autistic and Non-autistic University Students: Insights From a Participatory Study

Cheriyan, C., Shevchuk-Hill, S., Riccio, A., Vincent, J., Kapp, S. K., Cage, E., Dwyer, P., Kofner, B., Attwood, H., & Gillespie-Lynch, K. (2021). Exploring the Career Motivations, Strengths, and Challenges of Autistic and Non-autistic University Students: Insights From a Participatory Study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 719827-719827. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719827

Publication date: 14 Oct 2021 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
10
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 10 (20.0%)

Abstract

Supports for the growing number of autistic university students often focus on helping them succeed in university. However, even educated autistic people experience discrimination and other challenges which can make it very difficult for them to obtain meaningful jobs. Little remains known about how universities can better support their autistic students and alumni in overcoming barriers to meaningful employment. In this participatory study, a team of autistic and non-autistic researchers asked autistic ( n = 92) and non-autistic ( n = 774) university students about their career aspirations, strengths they believe will help them succeed in their “dream jobs,” and obstacles they expect to encounter. Autistic participants’ top goal in attending college was to improve their career prospects. However, relatively few autistic students reported learning career-specific skills at university. Autistic students were more likely to seek an academic job and less likely to seek a career in healthcare than non-autistic students. Autistic students highlighted writing skills and detail orientation as strengths that could help them succeed in their dream jobs more often than non-autistic students. However, they were also more likely to expect discrimination, social, and psychological difficulties to stand in the way of their dream jobs. These findings suggest that universities should prioritize experiential learning opportunities to help autistic (and non-autistic) students develop employment-related skills while providing mental health supports. Universities should demonstrate their commitment to supporting diverse learners by seeking out and hiring autistic professionals and by teaching their own staff and employers how to appreciate and support autistic colleagues.

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 11:30.

Cited references
70
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
5 / 70 (7.1%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
9 / 250 (3.6%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 9 / 98 (9.2%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 8 / 203 (3.9%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
98 / 250 (39.2%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 63 / 203 (31.0%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
89 / 98 (90.8%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 89 / 250 (35.6%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 55 / 63 (87.3%).
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