Understanding the role of self-determination in shaping university experiences for autistic and typically developing students in the UK

With more autistic students enrolling in higher education, little is known about how autistic students can actively and effectively shape their own university experience through self-determination. The current study explores how both autistic (n = 18) and typically developing students and recent graduates (n = 18) perceive their self-determination during their transition into, through and out of university in the UK. Students reported many shared and unique aspects of autonomy, competence and relatedness underlying self-determination. Many autistic students also discussed autism related strengths facilitating academic pursuit at university, though found coping with transitional changes more difficult than typically developing students. Using strength-based approaches to help autistic students to actively adapt to routine changes might facilitate their self-determination during transition to university.