Background There is a growing call for empirically based programming to support the success of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they transition to college. Aims The purpose of this study was to identify the needs and challenges faced by adolescents and young adults with ASD in postsecondary education. Methods A mixed methods approach was taken to explore the needs of college-bound and college-enrolled students with ASD. Primary stakeholders (i.e., parents, educators/support staff from secondary and postsecondary institutions, and students) participated in an online survey (n = 67) and focus groups (n = 15). Results Across the stakeholder groups, commonly identified areas of difficulty included limited interpersonal competence, managing competing demands in postsecondary education, and poor emotional regulation. There was a high degree of agreement across stakeholders in the identified needs and challenges. Implications Findings from this preliminary needs analysis will inform the development of programming to support students with ASD.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common comorbidity for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present study examined the cardinal cognitive component of SAD, fear of negative evaluation (FNE), in adolescents and adults with ASD (n = 44; 59 % with social anxiety) and those without ASD (n = 69; 49 % with social anxiety). Group (ASD or non-ASD) significantly moderated the relationship between social disability, as well as social motivation impairment, and FNE, such that there was a stronger positive relationship for the adolescents and adults without ASD. Few differences emerged between those with and without ASD, with respect to specific indicators of FNE. Clinical implications are discussed, including the importance of assessing FNE among individuals with ASD.

Specific phobias (SPs) are characterized by excessive fear or anxiety regarding an object or situation. SPs often result in a host of negative outcomes in childhood and beyond. Children with SPs are broadly assumed to show dispositional over-regulation and fearfulness relative to children without SPs, but there are few attempts to distinguish dispositional patterns among children with SPs. In the present study, we examined trajectories of differing temperamental profiles for youth receiving a CBT-based treatment for their SP. Participants were 117 treatment seeking youth (M Age = 8.77 years, Age Range = 6 – 15 years; 54.7% girls) who met criteria for a SP and their mothers. Three temperament profiles emerged and were conceptually similar to previously supported profiles: well-adjusted; inhibited; and under-controlled. While all groups showed similarly robust reductions in SP severity following treatment, differences among the three groups emerged in terms of broader internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and global outlook. The well-adjusted group was higher in functioning initially than the other two groups. The inhibited group had initial disadvantages in initial internalizing symptoms. The under-controlled group showed greatest comorbidity risks and had initial disadvantages in both internalizing and externalizing symptoms. These distinct clusters represent considerable heterogeneity within a clinical sample of youth with SP who are often assumed to have homogenous behavior tendencies of inhibition and fearfulness. Findings suggest that considering patterns of temperament among children with phobias could assist treatment planning and inform ongoing refinements to improve treatment response.

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