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Needs of parents of university students on the autism spectrum
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Moore, Thomas. Needs of parents of university students on the autism spectrum. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-182f-7k13

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TitleNeeds of parents of university students on the autism spectrum
NameMoore, Thomas (author); Harrison, Judith (chair); O'Donnell, Angela (member); Brosnan, Marianne (member); Maraventano, James (member); Rutgers University; Graduate School of Education
Date Created2021
Other Date2021-10 (degree)
SubjectEducational administration, Autism, College counselors, College students with autism, High school counselors, High school students with autism, Parents with autistic children
Extent1 online resource (x, 114 pages)
DescriptionAs the number of students on the autism spectrum rises, educational services and social support for this population continue to develop and expand. Parents of those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) receive information, guidance, and support as they work closely with K-12 teachers, therapists, medical professionals, and social service agencies to assist their children as they grow and progress to adolescence and young adulthood. These supports for parents typically end abruptly as their ASD children turn 18 and become legal adults. Many higher education institutions provide programming for ASD students to assist them academically and socially as they transition to and attend college. However, little to no information, guidance or support are provided by universities to parents of ASD college students. Further, limited research is available to determine the needs of parents during this transition.
Nine parents of new and continuing university ASD students were interviewed to ascertain parental needs during the transition process as their children enrolled in and attended college, and explored their perceptions of tools and programming colleges can provide to support them. Utilizing the lenses of Separation-Individuation Theory and Transactional Coping Theory, this project identified transitional and coping strategies utilized by parents of ASD students and ways to provide appropriate support for them. The following research questions were examined:
1.What are the experiences of parents of students on the autism spectrum as their children transition to and attend college?
2.What do parents of university ASD students report are systemic barriers which hinder them from coping with the transition and attendance of their child at college?
3.What supports might help parents of ASD students explore their new role and adjust effectively as their children transition to and attend college?
Results indicated the emergence of seven major themes, including the transition of ASD students to college as an emotional experience for parents, parental tendencies to hover over their adolescents, excessive use of “I” and “We” rather than “Him” or “He” when referring to their children, lack of communication for parents, students, high school guidance counselors and university faculty and staff with information pertaining to ASD college students, lack of timeliness and awareness of student and parental college needs, and parental solutions such as fixing communication and responding to parental wisdom. Further research with a broader parent population is needed to determine additional supports colleges can provide for parents of ASD college students during the transition of their children to college.
NoteEd.D.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
Genretheses
Persistent URLhttps://doi.org/doi:10.7282/t3-182f-7k13
LanguageEnglish
CollectionGraduate School of Education Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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