Evaluation of a Mentorship Program for Undergraduates with ASD

Background:

The prevalence of students with ASD in university is rising (White et al., 2011), necessitating universities to offer support systems for promoting academic success and degree completion.

Objectives:

This study evaluated the effectiveness of Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Autism Mentorship Initiative (AMI), a peer mentorship program that matches undergraduates with ASD with upper level undergraduates and graduate students from SFU in order to help them navigate the social, emotional and academic demands of university life.

Methods:

Participants included 23 undergraduates previously diagnosed with ASD or Asperger Syndrome (mentees), and 21 undergraduate or graduate neurotypical students (mentors) from SFU.

Mentors and mentees both completed program evaluation surveys assessing the educational and personal benefits they experienced as a result of their involvement with AMI.

Mentees also completed a number of questionnaires including: Behavior Assessment Scale for Children – Self-report, College (BASC-SRP-COL), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF), Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), and the Student Adjustment to College Questionnaire (SACQ).

Selected Results:

Table 1 provides descriptive data about the mentees who participated in AMI. The percentile rank scores represent the relative standing of the AMI mentees on each of these variables in comparison with the population norms.

Table 1

Variable	Measurement Tool	Directionality	Mean Percentile Rank
Internalizing Problems	BASC-SRP-COL	Higher percentiles indicate more problematic behaviors.	72
Inattention/Hyperactivity	BASC-SRP-COL		55
Emotional Symptoms Index	BASC-SRP-COL		77
Full Scale	BRIEF	Higher percentiles indicate worse executive functions.	76
Metacognition Index	BRIEF		92
Behavior Regulation Index	BRIEF		56
Anxiety	LASSI	Higher percentiles indicate better learning strategies.	45
Motivation	LASSI		53
Test Strategies	LASSI		42
Attitude and Interest	LASSI		23

Table 2

Pre-Post Gains in University Adjustment

SACQ Subscales	Semester 1 mean percentiles	Semester 2 mean percentiles	t-score	p-value	Cohen’s d
Academic Adjustment	27	42	1.86	.085	.32
Emotional Adjustment	16	31	4.13	<.001	.36
Social Adjustment	18	31	3.29	.005	.59
University Adjustment (Full Scale)	18	34	4.25	<.001	.49

Table 3

Educational and Personal Benefits from Survey (Mentees)

Question	% Disagreement	% Neutral	% Agreement
AMI helped with socialization and meeting other students	6.25%	43.75%	50%
AMI helped me improve my study skills	25%	43.75%	31.25%
AMI has helped me improve my time management skills	0%	12.5%	87.5%
AMI has helped me manage anxiety	12.5%	50%	37.5%

Table 4

Personal and Professional Benefits (Mentors)

Question	% Disagreement	% Neutral	% Agreement
Learned more about Autism and Mentorship	9.09%	0%	90.91%
Benefitted Professionally	20%	20%	60%
Benefitted Personally and Enjoyed Involvement in AMI	9.52%	0	90.48%

Conclusions:

Compared to the general college population, our mentees displayed higher than average internalizing symptoms, lower executive functioning, poorer study strategies and lower college adjustment, highlighting the need for individualized support systems for undergraduates with ASD in universities. Mentees demonstrated significant pre-post improvements in college adjustment, and survey data revealed that both the mentors and mentees in our program experienced personal, educational and professional benefits from their involvement in AMI. Peer mentorship programs are an effective tool for supporting undergraduates with ASD, and provide important professional benefits for neurotypical mentors.