The facilitators, obstacles and needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions accessing further and higher education: a systematic review

Many young adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) intend to go to college and/or university, yet research suggests that these individuals find aspects of college and university life challenging. To explore the views of individuals directly impacted by these challenges, a systematic review of the existing qualitative literature in this area was conducted. Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis of these papers identified six super-ordinate themes: the involvement of professionals; academic, environmental and social factors; well-being; communication; and understanding. The facilitators, obstacles and needs of students pervaded these themes and are discussed alongside implications for counsellors and psychologists working in schools.