Autism and the University Experience: Narratives from Students with Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
University students with autism and ADHD say social isolation, unclear expectations, and weak disability supports block success.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bolourian et al. (2018) talked with university students who have autism or ADHD. They asked open questions about daily life, classes, friends, and help-seeking.
The team recorded the stories and looked for common pain points. No tests, no grades—just student voices.
What they found
Students said the hardest parts are feeling alone, not knowing what professors want, and disability offices that feel hidden or clueless.
Autism-only and ADHD-only students shared most struggles, but each group named a few unique bumps.
How this fits with other research
Dudley et al. (2019) asked the same kinds of questions and got the same answer—professors admit they barely know autism. The match boosts confidence in both studies.
Kim et al. (2021) zoomed in on disability support offices and found the same opaque system Yasamine flagged. They add detail: students want walk-in hours, staff who understand sensory needs, and clear web pages.
Titlestad et al. (2019) turned the complaint into a shopping list. Their survey shows the top asks are exam extra time, note takers, and a trusted coach who checks in weekly.
Hu et al. (2021) looked at the other side—counseling-center directors. Centers report skyrocketing autism caseloads yet almost no autism-trained counselors, explaining why students call mental-health help "hit or miss."
Why it matters
If you support transition-age youth, treat the syllabus like a behavior plan: spell out hidden rules, due dates, and office hours up front. Schedule a 10-minute syllabus walk-through with each autistic or ADHD student, then email a one-page summary to both the student and the disability office so everyone shares the same cue list.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Relatively limited research has been devoted to understanding the postsecondary experience from the students' perspectives. In the current study, individual interviews were conducted with university students with autism spectrum disorder (n = 13) and students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 18) to investigate likely factors impeding meaningful postsecondary experiences. Through an iterative coding process, nine themes were identified, and direct narratives exemplifying each are included. Overall, both diagnostic groups reported significant social, emotional, and academic challenges within the university setting, although there were distinctions. Findings have direct applications to higher education initiatives, such as the development of programs to increase faculty awareness and to target the efforts of university disability centers in meeting the needs of students with neurodevelopmental disorders.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 2018 · doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3599-5