Peer-Mediated Supports For College Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

College-bound students with ASD face unique challenges in a variety of domains, including socialization, academic functioning and self-advocacy. Many post-secondary institutions are developing models of support to meet these challenges. One type of support is the peer-mediated model, which pairs students with ASD with trained and appropriately matched peers to work toward self-determined goals. This presentation will discuss Drexel University’s peer-mentoring model of support and will present the program’s strategies for meeting the students’ academic, social and self-advocacy goals. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) enrolling in post-secondary institutions (Zager & Alpern, 2010). In response, many post-secondary institutions are developing models of support to meet the growing needs of these students. One type of support is the peer-mediated model, which pairs college students on the spectrum with trained and appropriately matched peers. Founded in 2010, The Drexel Autism Support Program (DASP) is a peer-mediated program that addresses the needs of Drexel students with ASD.

Current research suggests that college-bound students with ASD face unique challenges in a variety of domains, including socialization, communication, independent daily living skills, academic functioning, and self-advocacy.  Social difficulties often include making friends, understanding others’ feelings, following subtle social cues, tolerating living with roommates (Adreon & Durocher, 2007), understanding sexual relationships and risks, and navigating romantic relationships (VanBergeijk, Klin, & Volkmar, 2008). Academic challenges span from organizational skills and keeping up with coursework to obtaining necessary academic accommodations (Hart, Grigal, & Weir, 2010).   Independent living issues may involve tolerating food from meal-plan options, maintaining appropriate personal hygiene, using public transportation, keeping on a budget, appropriately managing time-based commitments (Adreon & Durocher, 2007), and coping with the increased number of transitions (Camarena & Sarigiani, 2009). 

The Drexel Autism Support Program (DASP) facilitates the transition from high school to college by providing a peer-mediated support system that encourages a positive adjustment to college life, self-advocacy, and development of appropriate social skills. Peer mentors receive an initial 4-session training workshop and bi-weekly supervision sessions, which provide them with the skills they need to support their mentees by modeling and reinforcing in vivosocial skills and self-advocacy activities.  In addition to receiving peer mentoring services, students can also participate in three 4-week Self Advocacy and Social Skills (SASS) Seminars in which they learn and practice social, organizational, and self-advocacy skills. DASP mentors and seminar leaders facilitate in the setting and reaching of measurable and attainable goals, maintaining academic expectations, becoming self-advocates, and developing skills that will improve social and romantic relationships.  Through coordination and communication with counseling and career services, residential halls, and university faculty, this process also promotes awareness of neurodiversity and encourages the university community to better understand the benefits that individuals with ASD bring to campus. 

This session will present the strategies for implementing a peer-mediated model of support, including how to: recruit, choose and train peer mentors; match a mentor with a college student with ASD; facilitate a trusting relationship between students with ASD and support providers; retain program participation; and develop relationships between program participants and college faculty and staff. The session will also present the top three goals Drexel students set in each domain (social, academic and self-advocacy) and discuss specific successful strategies for working towards these goals. As one of the first programs to offer services devoted to the support of students with ASD, DASP can serve as a model for other college-based support programs and expand the discussion about the best ways to support college students with autism.

References

Adreon, D. & Durocher, J. S. (2007). Evaluating the college transition needs of individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Intervention in School and Clinic, 42(5), 271-279.

Camarena, P. M. & Sarigiani, P. A. (2009). Postsecondary educational aspirations of high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and their parents. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 24(2), 115-128.

Hart, D., Grigal, M., & Weir, C. (2010). Expanding the paradigm: Postsecondary education options for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(3), 134-150.

VanBergeijk, E., Klin, A., & Volkmar, F. (2008). Supporting more able students on the autism spectrum: College and beyond. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38, 1359-1370.

Zager, D., & Alpern, C.S. (2010). College-based inclusion programming for transition-age students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 25(3), 151-157.