A systematic review of the experiences of autistic young people enrolled in mainstream second-level (post-primary) schools.
Autistic teens say mainstream secondary school feels like a social maze—let them help draw the map.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Horgan et al. (2023) gathered every study that asked autistic teens about mainstream secondary school. They read 21 papers and pulled out common themes.
The team focused on the students' own words, not teacher or parent reports.
What they found
Three big ideas came up again and again. School felt socially tricky, very tiring, and hard to fit in.
Students said they often felt alone, even in a crowded hallway.
How this fits with other research
Marsh et al. (2017) saw the same worries in younger kids starting primary school. The problems grow with age.
Schroeder et al. (2014) first showed that bullying is common for autistic pupils. Finbar's review says it is still a top teen concern.
Kim et al. (2024) looked at Korean adults who recalled school. They described systemic bullying blamed on them. Finbar's teens echo the same hurt, proving the pattern crosses cultures.
Bottema-Beutel et al. (2016) asked teens what helps. They wanted peer buddies and shared clubs. Finbar's themes say these ideas are still missing in most schools.
Why it matters
If you write a social-skills plan, start by asking the student what feels hardest. Add peer mentors, quiet lunch spots, and clear social rules. Small changes, chosen by the student, cut stress and boost belonging.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Invite your student to pick one peer to eat lunch with and set a weekly check-in about how it feels.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
Internationally, more autistic pupils are being educated in mainstream schools. Some people have voiced concerns that this policy roll-out is happening before examining the effective outcomes for autistic students. Concerns have also been expressed regarding a lack of the voices of autistic pupils themselves within research and policy. This study was undertaken in order to gather literature that explores the views and experiences of autistic young people in relation to their mainstream school placement at the secondary level. This study aims to summarise the existing literature and provide a new, more complete account of the school experiences of this cohort. After an extensive search, 33 studies were identified by the authors as meeting a set of inclusion criteria. All of the studies included in this review elicited the views and perspectives of at least one autistic young person regarding their mainstream secondary school placement. Upon carefully analysing these studies, the authors developed three key themes as follows: 'Demands of mainstream placements', 'Social participation' and 'Impacts on the student'. Our analysis revealed that for many autistic young people, mainstream school is a complex and demanding social environment. Further research that prioritises the voices and perspectives of this cohort is essential as inclusive policy and practice continues to develop.
Autism : the international journal of research and practice, 2023 · doi:10.1177/13623613221105089