Amanda Nolen, Jim Vander Putten, Rascheel Hastings,

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Autism Spectrum Disorder and College Major Choice: Looking Beyond the STEM

Majors

National Research Council focused efforts on early diagnosis and intervention.

1 in 68 children classified with ASD (CDCP, 2014)An increase from 1 in 88 in 2008 and from 1 in 150 in

2000. (Note: From 1992 to 2000, there was a 544% increase in diagnoses)

Co-occurring increase in number of individuals with ASD described as high-functioning (CDCP, 2014)

Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) – Called for transition for adolescents into post-secondary experiences as a research priority (2012)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

2,565 Articles focused on ‘students’ with ASD103 Articles focused on ‘college students’ with ASDOnly 20 articles met all criteria:

Peer-reviewedFocused on collegiate experiences or collegiate

support of individuals with ASD. All published since 1999Collectively included an n of 69 individuals

Gelbar, Smith, and Reichow (2014)

This study is one of several using the National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS-2) dataset to examine the college transition behaviors and decisions of adults with disabilities in general; ASD in particular.

Unit of analysis is NOT the diagnosis of ASD itself, but rather the spectrum of behaviors upon which the diagnosis is given: mental functionality, social and communication skills

Allows us to abandon a deficit model and stigma of disability and to examine the full variation of this population.

Purpose of Study

National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 – tracks a nationally representative sample of students with disabilities for 10 years.

Isolated and weighted the sub-sample of students who were diagnosed with ASD.

Pulled data from Waves 1 and 5 including gender, age, race/ethnicity, and family income.

Disability background variables included mental functioning skills, conversation ability, and social skills

Method

Filtered by disability and attending a postsecondary institution (nunweighted = 190, nweighted = 28,976)

86% male56% with ASD attended postsecondary

institutionNo difference in gender in college attendance

(p = .355)

Results

Computer Science (15.0%)Engineering (14.7%)Mechanics (10.4%)Mathematics/Statistics (10.0%)

Most Popular Majors (ASD)

English (1.0%)Business (0.6%)Science (0.06%)Food Service (0.2%)

Least Popular Majors (ASD)

Conversation abilityOverall – 55.3% “a lot of trouble” or “does not

carry a conversation at all”College going – 54.4%

Mental Functioning and Social Skills – no difference between those with ASD who attended postsecondary and those who did not.Mental Functioning – =10.83, SD = 3.98Social Skills – =9.90, SD = 3.38

Disability Characteristics

Conversational skills and mental functioning were only significant discriminant functions for college major choice λ1=0.57, χ2=2151.87, df=38, p < 0.0001; λ2=0.412, χ2=1408.31, df=18, p < 0.0001

Model classified 59% of the individuals in the sample

Stepwise Discriminant Function

Fun

ctio

n 2.

Men

tal F

unct

ioni

ng

Function 1. Conversation Skills

Conclusions and ImplicationsAs varied as the diagnosis of ASD so are the

aspirations and academic choices of these students

Addresses myths , stereotypes, and stigmatizations of adults with ASD

Availability of NLST2 Wave 5 enables research to extend from qualitative to quantitative Generalizability, predict, explain, influence policy

More research on academic, social, and emotional transitions from adolescent to adult hood for this population is needed

How does context figure into this equation? Are there cultural factors that must be considered? Are students with ASD encouraged to pursue

specific majors because those are considered appropriate based on stigma?

What responsibilities do student affairs professionals have in aiding the transitions of these students? Recruitment / admissions officers Academic advisors and career services staff

What are best practices in bridge or transition programs?

Future Directions