Examining the relationship between autistic traits and college adjustment

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Higher Education

Background:

• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication challenges.
• Understanding factors influencing college adjustment is crucial for student success.
• The broad autism phenotype (BAP) refers to autistic-like traits in individuals without ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between ASD characteristics and college adjustment in neurotypical students.
• To identify specific BAP traits that predict college adjustment difficulties.
• To explore the mediating role of pragmatic language in the relationship between academic factors and adjustment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Broad Autism Phenotype Questionnaire (BAPQ) and the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire (SACQ).
• Analyzed data from a sample of neurotypical college students.
• Employed statistical methods to assess correlations and mediation effects.

Main Results:

• Elevated ASD characteristics were linked to poorer college adjustment.
• Pragmatic language difficulties, a BAPQ subscale, were the strongest predictor of adjustment variance.
• Students meeting BAP cut-off scores exhibited significantly lower SACQ scores across all subscales.
• Pragmatic language difficulties mediated the link between college major and academic adjustment.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights the impact of ASD-related traits, particularly pragmatic language, on college adjustment, even in neurotypical populations.
• Findings suggest a need for targeted support for students with pragmatic language challenges.
• Further research is warranted to understand these mechanisms in both ASD and neurotypical students.