A specialist peer mentoring program for university students on the autism spectrum: A pilot study

Abstract

IntroductionThe provision of peer mentoring may improve tertiary education outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study evaluated the pilot year of the Curtin Specialist Mentoring Program (CSMP), a specialised peer mentoring program for university students with ASD aimed at improving self-reported well-being, academic success and retention in university studies.MethodsA single group pre-test, post-test design was employed. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations were undertaken with 10 young adults with ASD to explore the effectiveness and acceptability of the CSMP program. Students completed a battery of questionnaires focused on general anxiety, state communication apprehension, perceived communication competence, and communication apprehension both prior to, and five months after commencing enrolment in the CSMP. Information regarding academic success and retention was also obtained. Interviews with participants provided further insight into their experience of the program.ResultsStudents enrolled in the CSMP showed significant improvement in social support and general communication apprehension assessment scores. Interviews revealed key features of the CSMP that may have contributed to these positive outcomes.ConclusionsThe current study provides preliminary evidence that a specialised peer mentoring program can improve the well-being of students with ASD, and highlights the importance of interventions which are individualised, flexible, based on a social model, and target environmental factors such as social support.

Núcleos De Acessibilidade Em Instituições Federais Brasileiras E as Contribuições De Terapeutas Ocupacionais Para a Inclusão De Pessoas Com Deficiência No Ensino Superior

“…However, it is necessary to investigate whether this monitoring could compromise student autonomy, harming their professional training, since the actions of these companions should be integrated into the set of measures facilitating the academic learning process, considering the student's autonomy in daily According to the National Policy on Special Education in the Perspective of Inclusive Education (BRASIL, 2008), the availability of instructors as well as monitor and care for students is in the teaching systems. Tutoring is also a reality in international teaching systems and has been reported by authors such as Siew et al (2017), Asgari and Carter Junior (2016), Rodger and Tremblay (2003), Collings, Swanson, and Watkins (2014) and Crisp (2010). Peer mentoring, peer tutoring, was reported by Siew et al (2017) as an action to improve academic performance, reduce the stress associated with the transition to higher education, increase well-being and permanence.…”

“…Tutoring is also a reality in international teaching systems and has been reported by authors such as Siew et al (2017), Asgari and Carter Junior (2016), Rodger and Tremblay (2003), Collings, Swanson, and Watkins (2014) and Crisp (2010). Peer mentoring, peer tutoring, was reported by Siew et al (2017) as an action to improve academic performance, reduce the stress associated with the transition to higher education, increase well-being and permanence. The same study also points out that, while the program encourages student independence, "[...] there is a possible limitation of the model with regard, in particular, to the potential for excessive dependence" (SIEW et al, 2017, p. 11).…”

Open Science in the Field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

“…However, preprints are time stamped upon being uploaded, and thereby establish priority of discovery (Berg et al, 2016). access journals such as AERA Open (e.g., Lewis, McIntosh, Simonsen, Mitchell, & Hatton, 2017), general open-access journals such as PLOS (e.g., Siew, Mazzucchelli, Rooney, & Girdler, 2017), and open-access journals in other fields such as British Medical Journal Open (Santosh, Tarver, Gibbons, Vitoratou, & Simonoff, 2016). Additionally, researchers have made their work published in traditional EBD journals such as Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders Open Science and EBD 16 open access (e.g., van den Berg & Stoltz, 2018).…”

A realist evaluation of peer mentoring support for university students with autism

“…Peer mentoring is one approach that has shown some promise in supporting university students with ASD (Ames et al, ; Hastwell et al, ; Roberts & Birmingham, ; Siew et al, ). Peer mentoring is mutually beneficial for both mentors and mentees (Jacobi, ).…”

“…The Cooperative Research Centre for Living with Autism (Autism CRC) Specialist Peer Mentoring Program (SPMP) (McDonald et al, , , ) commenced at Curtin University in Western Australia in 2014. The initial iteration of the SPMP resulted in university students with ASD experiencing high levels of satisfaction, increased levels of perceived support and a decrease in apprehension of communication (Siew et al, ). Following feedback from the pilot, the SPMP was manualised (Figure ), providing a standardised approach to peer mentoring for students with ASD, with manuals now freely available from the Autism CRC website (https://www.autismcrc.com.au/).…”