Supporting Autistic Students in College

Colleges are enrolling more students who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or who have the condition but have not been formally diagnosed, than ever before. Although research on the experience of autistic college students has increased exponentially in recent years, there are many unanswered questions related to best practices, evidence-based supports, and developmental trajectory. Autistic college students experience challenges primarily related to functional daily living skills and socioemotional health, more so than academic impediments. They also have more challenges related to co-occurring mental health problems, such as depression, relative to nonautistic students. In this chapter, we summarize the research on the needs and challenges experienced by this growing population, describe programs and services developed to address their needs, and offer suggestions to schools and families who wish to support these students.