Jenny R. Gustafson

Promoting Social Competence and Peer Relationships for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders

This article addresses some of the key considerations and complexities associated with intervening to address social competence and peer relationships of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in middle and high school settings. First, we provide a brief overview of the social context during adolescence for all students. Next, we highlight particular challenges for adolescents with ASD. Then, we discuss potential school-based intervention pathways that appear particularly responsive to these contexts and challenges. Finally, we offer several recommendations for research and practice aimed at improving the social competence and connections of young people with ASD—during high school and into early adulthood.

Efficacy of Peer Networks to Increase Social Connections Among High School Students With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder

Although peer interaction takes on increased salience during adolescence, such social connections remain elusive for many high school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This social isolation can be particularly prevalent within unstructured school contexts. In this study, we examined the effects of a lunchtime peer network intervention on the social engagement and peer interactions of four adolescent students with ASD. Upon introduction of the peer networks, we observed substantial increases in the percentage of intervals containing peer interactions and social engagement across all participants. Further, students with ASD, peer partners, and school personnel all considered the intervention to be acceptable and feasible. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at enhancing the efficacy and social validity of peer-mediated interventions at the secondary school level.

Avoiding the “brick wall of awkward”: Perspectives of youth with autism spectrum disorder on social-focused intervention practices

Many youth with autism spectrum disorder participate in school-based, peer-mediated intervention programs designed to improve their social experiences. However, there is little research discerning how these youth view intervention practices currently represented in the literature, information which could improve the social validity of intervention programming. In this mixed-methods study, we interviewed 33 youth with autism spectrum disorder about seven social-focused, peer-mediated intervention components. We asked participants to rate the favorability of each component to determine their degree of liking. Subsequently, we asked participants to give a rationale for their rating, in order to explore influencing factors. Chi-square tests indicated that high ratings were most prevalent for recruiting peers and family involvement and medium ratings were most prevalent for meeting with peers. Analyses of variance also indicated that preferences in the specific format intervention components were delivered. Several themes emerged from our qualitative analysis of open-ended responses, including the ramifications of adults in adolescent social life, the advantages of learning through shared activities with peers, and the effects of disclosing disability status. Our findings will offer guidance for researchers and practitioners interested in individualizing interventions to reflect student preferences. Furthermore, we document areas of concern for youth with autism spectrum disorder as they access school-based interventions.

Effects of Peer Networks on the Social Interactions of High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Supporting social interactions and positive peer relationships is an important element of comprehensive secondary education and transition programming. For many adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), such social connections may be fairly limited apart from intentional programming. We examined the efficacy and social validity of peer network interventions as an avenue for promoting social interactions and social skills for two high school students with ASD. The introduction of peer networks was accompanied by substantial increases in peer interactions for both students. Adult facilitators, peer partners, and students with ASD each considered the intervention to be acceptable and feasible to implement. We offer recommendations for designing social-focused interventions for adolescents with ASD and highlight future research directions.

Addressing the Needs of Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Considerations and Complexities for High School Interventions

The outcomes of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are driving the field to address how secondary education might be optimally designed and delivered. We conducted 28 focus groups across four states to explore the contexts, considerations, and complexities associated with delivering and combining evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of adolescents with ASD from the vantage point of 152 practitioners, parents, and other key stakeholders. Participants emphasized the inadequacy of prevailing intervention approaches in secondary schools, underscored the importance of attending to feasibility and alignment with the diverse needs of students with ASD, and stressed the need for broader awareness and training efforts surrounding autism. We offer recommendations for designing comprehensive interventions and incorporating stakeholder feedback into such undertakings.

Efficacy of Peer Support Arrangements to Increase Peer Interaction and AAC Use

Supporting interaction in inclusive settings between students with complex communication needs (CCN) and their peers requires careful planning and support. We used a multiple-probe-across-participants design to investigate the efficacy of collaborative planning and peer support arrangements to increase peer interaction in inclusive classrooms. Participants were four middle school students with CCN who had an intellectual disability and used an iPad with Proloquo2Go as augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Educational teams comprised of a special educator, general educator, paraprofessional, and speech-language pathologist participated in collaborative planning for the intervention. For all four students, the intervention substantially increased communication to and from their peers. AAC use increased for one student. We offer implications for research and practice on supporting social interaction in general education settings.

Efficacy of Peer Support Interventions in General Education Classrooms for High School Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Even with inclusive general education classrooms, high school students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have few social interactions with classmates. Peer support arrangements hold promise for increasing peer interactions and shared learning within general education classrooms. However, previous evaluations of this intervention have focused narrowly on adolescents with severe intellectual disability. In this pilot study, we examined the impact and social validity of peer support arrangements for four high school students with ASD. All four students increased their social interactions with peers, while academic engagement either increased or maintained for three students. Social validity data from peer partners and students indicated they considered the intervention acceptable. We discuss limitations and offer recommendations for future research and practice aimed at enhancing social connections within inclusive classrooms.

Including Students With Disabilities in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Experiences and Perspectives of Special Educators:

As interest in proactive and systematic approaches to supporting positive student behavior grows, important questions remain about the ways in which special education staff and their students participate in school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). We report findings from a statewide study of 849 special educators addressing (a) their involvement in their school’s PBIS framework, (b) the ways their students with disabilities participate, (c) potential barriers to such participation, and (d) the topics and avenues through which they desire professional development. Special educators rarely participated in school-wide PBIS teams, reported variability in the extent to which their students with disabilities participated in aspects of the school’s framework, indicated that they implemented some features of the framework in their classroom more than others, and highlighted salient barriers to student involvement. The views and actions of special educators working primarily with students with low-incidence disabilities differed from those of teachers working with students with high-incidence disabilities. We discuss implications for research and practice aimed at enhancing the implementation and impact of school-wide PBIS on students with disabilities.

Motivations and Expectations of Peer Mentors Within Inclusive Higher Education Programs for Students With Intellectual Disability

Although peer mentors play a prominent role in supporting higher education experiences for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), little is known about these college students and the factors leading to their decision to become involved in this particular experience. We examined the motivations, experiences, and expectations of 250 peer mentors attending five diverse universities offering inclusive postsecondary programs for students with IDD. Nearly all (93.7%) of the entering peer mentors had prior disability-related experiences and almost all identified a combination of personal and professional reasons for involvement. Peer mentors anticipated an array of personal benefits as a result of their participation, although beliefs about some areas of potential impact were more mixed (e.g., improvements in grades, study skills, social status). Views regarding the extent to which students with IDD can participate in different aspects of campus life reflected high expectations; predictions about these students’ postgraduation experiences were more modest and mixed. We offer recommendations for research and practice aimed at identifying and engaging peers in supporting inclusive college experiences.