ERIC Number: EJ1456209
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2379-7762
EISSN: EISSN-2328-3343
Trait Anxiety and College Adjustment in Women with and without Autism Symptomatology
Denise Davidson; Dakota Morales; Brooke Sawyer
Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, v37 n4 p329-343 2024
The college experience can significantly increase feelings of anxiety in all students, as students find themselves in evaluative settings where academic, and often social abilities, are judged. Moreover, high levels of anxiety can lead to significant difficulties with navigating the challenges of college. For students with autism symptomatology, an elevated predisposition to feel anxious (i.e., trait anxiety) may cause more difficultly in successfully adjusting to college and succeeding academically. Thus, we examined differences in trait anxiety and college adjustment between cisgender women with and without autism symptomatology. We also explored the extent to which autism symptomatology and trait anxiety uniquely accounted for variance in college adjustment in women. Study findings showed that higher levels of autism symptomatology were associated with elevated trait anxiety. Additionally, both autism symptomatology and trait anxiety were associated with lower adjustment to college across four indices (academic, social, personal-emotional and total adjustment), although neither predicted GPA. We conclude with implications of our findings and recommendations for professionals serving autistic students, including disability resource officers.
Descriptors: Anxiety, Personality Traits, Student Adjustment, Females, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Students with Disabilities, Private Colleges, Undergraduate Students, Academic Achievement, Individual Differences
Association on Higher Education and Disability. 8015 West Kenton Circle Suite 230, Huntersville, NC 28078. Tel: 704-947-7779; Fax: 704-948-7779; e-mail: JPED@ahead.org; Web site: https://www.ahead.org/professional-resources/publications/jped
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Social Responsiveness Scale; State Trait Anxiety Inventory; Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A