Thompson, Donna-Marie (2015) Lived Experiences of a Peer-Mentored Program for University Students on the Autism Spectrum: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Increasing rates in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been reported worldwide. Higher education institutions have observed a significant number of students with ASD enrolling. Of those enrolling, academic outcomes are often poor with students on the spectrum having difficulties with planning, coping with change, and social communication at university. While there have been a number of earlier schooling interventions developed to assist students on the spectrum, there is little research about the experience of programs during higher education. The A-Skills program is an 8-week program, underpinned by Self-Determination Theory, offered by the University of Southern Queensland to improve the university experience of students on the spectrum. This qualitative study allowed participants to identify aspects of participating in A-Skills important to them. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyse data collected from semi-structured interviews with 4 students on the spectrum who had recently completed the program. The analysis resulted in 3 dominant themes: (a) sense of identity, (b) motivation to participate, and (c) need for support. This study describes and interprets participant experiences in detail and identifies future directions for research and the A-Skills program. Study outcomes suggest that, for some participants, the A-Skills program enhances their sense of competence as autonomous-learners, and increases relatedness through shared group support. Implications for the program include the need for increased psychosocial education on ASD for participants, the introduction of employment mentors on the spectrum, and opportunities beyond A-Skills for participants to share experiences with others on the spectrum.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Charlotte Brownlow |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Aug 2025 00:27 |
| Last Modified: | 27 Aug 2025 00:27 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52816 |
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