Steps to Success: The Lived Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum

Young adults on the autism spectrum are likely to experience an occupational imbalance after graduating high school. This is evidenced by the approximately 37% to 50% of youth with autism who report unemployment or not continuing their education after high school and their researched struggles with managing mental health conditions, living independently in the community, and engaging in social activities. In order to better understand the perspectives of young adults with autism experiencing an occupational imbalance after graduating high school, this thesis aims to explore the experiences of college students with autism using a qualitative approach. College students with autism were recruited through flyers placed around campus and given to a campus group of students with autism. Data analysis was conducted to find common themes in the experiences of college students with ASD about their transition from high school to college, in hopes that this information can guide future research to provide better transitional programs for young adults with ASD.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy

Year

2024

Author dc:creator

• Pearl, Magdalene

• Autism;Lived experiences;Person-Environment-Occupation-Performance Model;transition to adulthood
• Occupational Therapy
• Rehabilitation and Therapy

Repository record dc:identifier

https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/829

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:encompass.eku.edu:etd-1827