A transition to university framework for autistic students through mixed methods and consultation with stakeholders

Recent statistics suggest that despite increasing enrolments to attend university, full-time autistic entrants are less likely to continue into the second academic year compared to students with no reported disability. Although research on the transition to university needs of this population is growing, few studies have explored how autistic traits, psychological wellbeing, past bullying, and identity development relate to transition concerns, regardless of diagnosis. Furthermore, most existing research investigating the transition to university remains limited to single stakeholder group. This thesis addresses this gap by incorporating and triangulating perspectives of autistic students, Non-medical Help support professionals, academic staff, and parents of autistic students through a person-environment fit lens. By employing mixed methods and stakeholder consultation across three studies, this thesis investigates the mechanisms, experiences, and action points to address eight research questions. A total of 131 participants and 11 stakeholders with lived experience participated across three studies. The quantitative findings of Study 1 suggest that irrespective of diagnosis, higher autistic traits score is associated with higher transition to university concerns, lower psychological wellbeing, and higher past bullying in secondary school; however, identity exploration can protect against these effects. The qualitative findings of Study 1 suggest that the induction and support programmes attended were useful for developing autonomy, agency, self- awareness, and coping strategies; however, anxiety support and personal tutor meetings need improvement. The qualitative findings of Study 2 centre on three contextual themes and nine institution-led supports, suggesting that university identity formation is a gradual process that unfolds differently for each student, and that parental involvement with students’ consent is important for a successful transition. Anticipatory strategies, such as access to quiet spaces and joined-up communication can mitigate challenges faced by autistic students and support their agency. Finally, the consultation workshops of Study 3 outline the decision-making process for ranking the nine institution-led supports identified from Study 2, as well as the prototype reflections, which together revealed six action points to support a more inclusive transition to university for autistic students. This thesis makes an original contribution to the literature through its empirical findings; to autism research by theorising a transition to university framework for autistic students; to higher education practice by identifying support strategies beyond diagnosis; and to methodology by pragmatically integrating quantitative, qualitative, and consultation with autistic students and their stakeholders. These findings have implications for higher education, providing evidence-based recommendations for future policy and practice development.