Transitioning on from Secondary School for Autistic Students: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND

Transitioning on from secondary school to further education, work, and new postschool relationships can be a challenging time for autistic young adults. The often poorer postschool outcomes of autistic young adults suggest there are some limitations on the effectiveness of present transition preparations. This warrants further investigation. Therefore, this review aimed to identify and synthesize the (a) study characteristics, (b) focus, (c) outcomes, and (d) methodological reporting of research on autistic students transitioning on from secondary school.

METHODS

The authors followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards to conduct a systematic quantitative review. They registered a protocol with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022358884) and conducted searches between August 2022 and April 2023 using six databases (ERIC, Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, and ProQuest Central). The authors used quantitative analysis to identify research trends and gaps and used the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies (QuADS) tool to assess methodological reporting.

RESULTS

The review identified 119 studies, which focused on academic, vocational, or social transitions, or a combination of these. Included research regularly used qualitative methods to report on autistic young adults without co-occurring intellectual disability completing academic transitions in metropolitan/urban parts of the United States. It shows that planning for and supporting the transition is crucial, as is successful home-school collaboration. However, homogeneity within participant groups, and the limited involvement of autistic/autism community members in research design and conduct, often limits generalizability.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the need for cautious application of findings to policy and practice, particularly given the limited heterogeneity of participant groups. Future research should explore how to empower young adults from diverse autistic subgroups to be leaders of their transition. It should explore the roles of parents and schools in achieving effective home-school collaboration during this transition. This will help supporters to more precisely meet the needs of autistic students entering postschool life.