EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN - Vol. 40 - 2017 - The College Experience of Students with Autism and Their Parents

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are enrolling in postsecondary programs at unprecedented rates, yet critical college transitions remain insufficiently understood. Using the College Adjustment Program Evaluation Scales (CAPES), the study compared student and parent views across Student Life, Emotional Adjustment, Independent Living Skills, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Advocacy. Sixteen participants completed CAPES after first-year fall and second-year spring. Ratings were uniformly positive with differences; parent scores were higher in key areas. Implications support targeted higher-education transition research and ASD services.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages26

Reading Time1 h 6 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Students with ASD and college transition background

Study design using CAPES and dimensions assessed

Findings: student vs. parent perceptions

Implications for supports and higher-education practices

EDUCATION AND TREATMENT OF CHILDREN Vol. 40, No. 4, 2017 Perceptions of Students with Autism and Their Parents: The College Experience Jo M. Hendrickson Suzanne Woods-Groves Derek B. Rodgers Shawn Datchuk University of Iowa Abstract Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending postsecondary programs at unprecedented rates. Transitions are especially challenging for students with ASD, yet little is known about critical transitions during the college experience. Using the College Adjustment Program Evaluation Scales (CAPES), we examined student and parent perspectives across five dimensions: Student Life, Emotional Adjustment, Independent Living Skills, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Advocacy. Sixteen participants—eight students and eight parents, completed the CAPES at the end of fall semester of year one and the end of spring semester year two. Student and parent CAPES ratings were uniformly positive with some differences. We found large effect sizes across dimensions and significant differences in Student Life, Independent Living, and Interpersonal Relationships with parent ratings higher than student ratings. An item analysis revealed specific challenges and skills salient to the results. Implications for supports for students with ASD, higher education practices, and transition research are discussed. Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, transition, college, postsecondary education The purpose of postsecondary education (PSE) and the pathways to it are multifaceted. Postsecondary/higher education in the U.S. has evolved across time (Renn & Reason, 2013), and institutions of Address correspondence to: Jo M. Hendrickson, The Department of Teaching and Learning, The University of Iowa, 259 N Lindquist Center, Iowa City, [Iowa 52242. Email: jo-hendrickson@uiowa.edu](Iowa 52242. Email: jo-hendrickson@uiowa.edu). The research reported herein was supported in part by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE), U.S. Department of Education, through Grant P407A100030 to The University of Iowa. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the OPE or the U.S. Department of Education. 572 HENDRICKSON et al. higher education have developed empirically-based strategies to serve an increasingly diverse student population and improve the first year experience of students (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Whether or not a student has a disability, the value of PSE to the student and to society are pivotal issues in the current debate over the goal of PSE. Mayhew and colleagues (2016) synthesized over 1,800 studies related to student development during college and report positive long-term effects on cognitive development, critical thinking, academic self-concept, locus of control, independence, self-efficacy, and psychological well-being to name a few. The effects of college on students with disabilities, however, is seldom addressed in the higher education and student affairs literature (Hendrickson, Therrien, Weeden, Pascarella, & Hosp, 2015). Although research is scant, the studies that are available indicate that PSE opportunities appear to significantly improve the transition to adulthood and long-term life outcomes (e.g., academic skills, employment, quality of life) of youth with disabilities (Hart, Grigal, & Weir, 2010; Neubert & Redd, 2008). Preliminary psychological wellbeing data indicate that students with ASD and cognitive disabilities and their typical college counterparts are similarly affected by college (Hendrickson, Vander Busard, Rodgers, & Scheidecker, 2013). Hendrickson et al. (2015) compared a national sample of first year college students with and without cognitive disabilities on student engagement and their perceptions of academic challenge, active and collaborative learning, student-faculty interaction, the campus environment, and educationally enriching experiences. They found that students with intellectual disabilities who attend

FAQs

What instrument was used to assess student and parent perspectives?

The study used the College Adjustment Program Evaluation Scales (CAPES) to measure multiple dimensions of the college experience.

Which dimensions were examined with CAPES?

CAPES assessed Student Life, Emotional Adjustment, Independent Living Skills, Interpersonal Relationships, and Self-Advocacy.

How did parent and student ratings compare in the results?

CAPES ratings were uniformly positive, but significant differences emerged; parent ratings were higher than student ratings in Student Life, Independent Living, and Interpersonal Relationships.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by dhado