Life Satisfaction of College Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background: Little is known about college students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Specifically, even less is known about these students’ self-reported life satisfaction and perceived adaptation to college. 

Objectives: The current study describes the self-reported life satisfaction and adaptation to college of college students with ASD across three cohorts and at various stages of their college careers.

Methods: This study includes 16 students enrolled in a college transition and support program for degree-seeking undergraduate students with ASD at a major public university. Of these 16 students, 12 entered the program as freshmen and 4 entered as transfer students. As part of the program, enrolled students meet 2-3 times per week with a therapist-mentor who provides services in academics, social skills, and daily living; attend 4 hours of weekly study hall; and participate in regular group meetings focused on issues important to college life, such as healthy eating on campus and dating. Each student is administered a battery of psychosocial measures at summer orientation and the end of each Fall and Spring semester during their college career. Included in this battery are the Brief Multidimensional Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire. Additionally, the students’ GPA is collected every semester.

Results: Analyses of total life satisfaction for students with ASD entering college in 2012, 2013, and 2014 at their college orientation revealed mean scores in the neutral to mostly satisfied ranges (M = 4.92, M = 4.15, M = 5.10, respectively). After their second year of college, students reported a total mean life satisfaction in the neutral range (M = 4.95). With respect to life satisfaction, students with ASD reported total life satisfaction within 1.5 standard deviations of the normative college sample (M = 5.55, SD = 1.14; Zullig et al., 2005) at college orientation and two years later. Furthermore, family life satisfaction was the highest-ranking life satisfaction domain at various time points. Also, students with ASD reported average adaptation to college (mean T-score = 45.25) after their second year of college. In addition, mean GPAs ranged from 2.35 to 3.67 over the course of four semesters. Additional data for 6-7 students will be added for the current academic year prior to the IMFAR 2015 meeting. Differences, if any, in life satisfaction at college orientation to the end of year two with the larger sample will be examined and presented. Adaptation to college after their second year will also be examined for students who entered college in 2013. 

Conclusions: Overall, these results indicate that college students with ASD enrolled in a transition and support program report adequate life satisfaction and adaptation to college throughout their college careers. Additionally, these results highlight that these college students appear to be functioning well compared to normative college samples, despite social difficulties associated with ASD, and that young adults with ASD can be successful in college when offered appropriate support services. Additional data collection and longitudinal analyses will be helpful in better understanding the lives of college students with ASD.