Students enrolled in a college autism support program: comparisons with non-enrollees and use of program-sponsored mentoring

ABSTRACT Many universities offer autism support programs (ASPs) to support college students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Initial studies support the promise of ASPs, but little research has explored which students do and do not enroll, or whether enrollees engage in program-sponsored mentoring. We explored these questions using an online survey and an ex post facto study design. Participants were students (N = 104) at a public university who identified with the university’s center for disability services as having a diagnosis of ASD. We compared students who did and did not enroll in the university’s ASP on a) demographic characteristics, b) pre-college academic achievement, and c) self-rated functioning. Enrollees rated the quality and frequency of interactions with program-sponsored mentors. Compared to ASP non-enrollees, enrollees were more often a) men, b) in their first or second year of college, with c) higher self-reported functioning. Enrollees also reported frequent, high-quality interactions with mentors.