When a new university term starts this year so will many students who have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In the 1990s there was a surge of highly able young people diagnosed with ASD and today they are approaching university age. The number of students with ASD attending university is also increasing; in 2003-04 it was estimated to be 1.8% of the total student body and by 2007-08 this had risen to 2.4%.
Disclosing a diagnosis is a very personal decision. Many people are reluctant to disclose their diagnosis for fear of negative attitudes from peers. This may be based on childhood experiences, where peers have been less accepting. The concerns of people on the autism spectrum transferring to university in particular throws up a dilemma: they might be able to access potential support services from their university if they declare their ASD, but they may also think this will compromise opportunities to develop friendships and socialise.
In a paper published with my student Lizzie Mills in the journal, Autism, we set out to find out whether this was true and whether prospective students should fear disclosing their diagnosis when they begin university.
Social Demands and Influences
Students with ASD can have difficulty with the social demands of university life and one significant influence on their academic and social success is peer attitudes. At a summer school at the University of Bath that gives young people on the autism spectrum a taster of university life, a constant theme is how, why, when and what to tell people about one’s diagnosis. Autism Summer School students also often report that it can be difficult to really explain what autism is and how it affects your relationship to other people.
