How Do Graduate Teaching Assistants Perceive and Understand Their Autistic College Students?

Abstract

Background:

As autistic college students increase in number, it is important to identify how to best support them. Beyond the increased academic demands of higher education, many autistic young adults struggle with social interactions, time management, emotion regulation, and routine changes. Having an accurate understanding of Graduate Teaching Assistants' (GTAs') knowledge of neurodiverse learners could inform improvements to GTA training programs.

Methods:

We explored GTAs' understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and any related pedagogical training. We used the Autism Awareness Survey by Tipton and Belcher and several supplemental questions to assess 92 GTAs' knowledge of ASD (65% female [n = 59], mean age = 27 years [standard deviation, SD = 4 years], 69% Caucasian [n = 62]).

Results:

Most GTAs (n = 76; 83%) had heard of ASD, primarily from a family member (n = 51; 66%). Out of 14 questions, 61% (n = 56) of GTAs answered at least 10 accurately. Eight questions were answered correctly by more than 75% of respondents, indicating some understanding of ASD, although room for improvement remained. GTAs with an autistic family member were not more knowledgeable about ASD, nor did they report feeling better-equipped to support autistic students. The majority of GTAs (n = 89; 97%) had not received any ASD-specific pedagogical training and only 15% of GTAs felt well-equipped to teach autistic students.

Conclusions:

While most GTAs answered basic knowledge questions about ASD correctly, they did not feel prepared to support autistic students. Increased understanding of neurodiverse learners could help GTAs foster a more supporting and inclusive environment and improve academic and social outcomes for autistic students. Further research is needed on what specific supports autistic learners need in the college classroom, how to train GTAs on how to provide these supports, and how to measure the effectiveness of such interventions.

Lay Summary

Why was this study done?

As more autistic young adults attend college, it is important to identify how to best support them. Beyond the increased academic demands of higher education, many autistic college students struggle with social interactions, time management, emotion regulation, and routine changes. These issues can present challenges to completing college, despite being intellectually capable. At present, 18% fewer autistic college students graduate compared with their neurotypical classmates.

What was the purpose of this study?

We aimed to better understand how Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) understand autistic college students and assess how much training they received to support autistic learners.

What did the researchers do?

Ninety-two GTAs completed an online survey about their knowledge of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their teaching and training experiences.

What results did the researchers find?

Most GTAs (83%) had heard of ASD, primarily from a family member (66%). Sixty percent of GTAs answered at least 10 out of 14 questions accurately and more than 75% of respondents answered at least eight questions correctly, indicating some, although limited, understanding of ASD. GTAs with an autistic friend or family member were not more knowledgeable about ASD nor did they report feeling better-equipped to support autistic students in the classroom. The majority of GTAs (97%) had not received any training specific to the autism spectrum. Only 15% of GTAs felt well-equipped to teach autistic students. GTAs showed some limited understanding of ASD, but did not feel prepared to support autistic students and had not received education or help on how to do so.

What are some of this study's weaknesses?

This study was conducted at one large research university, and so may not generalize to other universities. Participants who were more interested in autism, such as graduate students in psychology or education, may have chosen to take this survey and therefore may have been more knowledgeable than other GTAs who did not participate. Given the diversity of strengths and weaknesses within the autistic population, it will be critical for future studies to use instruments specific to this population, which comprises young adults with average to above-average cognitive and language abilities.

How will this study help autistic adults?

This study establishes the need for greater training for GTAs on how to support autistic students. Better training and access to neurodiversity teaching resources may improve GTAs' confidence and efficacy in the classroom. Increased understanding of neurodiverse learners may foster a more supportive and inclusive academic culture. Prior research has shown that having a college degree leads to more job opportunities and increased pay. Providing proper training on how to support neurodiverse learners may improve the educational experience for autistic college students and decrease the gap in graduation rates.

Introduction

Young autistic adults are enrolling in postsecondary institutions at higher rates than ever before.¹ One study suggested that approximately one-third (35%) of a sample of 500 young adults with educational diagnoses of autism was presently enrolled in a 2- or 4-year college.² Another study found 1–2% of the sample of undergraduate participants met the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but none had been previously diagnosed.³

Autistic young adults with average to above-average cognitive and language abilities may experience social, emotional, and behavioral obstacles in college, despite their intellectual capabilities.^3,4 Nonacademic “soft skills,” such as interacting with others, adapting to routine changes, and coping with stress, can be difficult to navigate.^5,6 In addition, executive dysfunction, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and behavioral rigidity can present challenges.^1,3,7,8 Furthermore, ∼18% fewer autistic persons graduate college compared with neurotypical peers.⁹ Since a college degree is associated with greater pay and job opportunities,^10,11 it is important that a degree be accessible for as many individuals as possible.

Instructors are important to the inclusivity of the academic environment. Emerging research suggests that faculty members' knowledge of how to support autistic learners is variable^12–15; even less is known about Graduate Teaching Assistants' (GTAs) understanding of ASD. GTAs comprise a large percentage of university instructors,¹⁶ but receive little to no formal pedagogical training.^17,18 This study explores the present state of training about ASD among junior instructors and examines potential barriers to receiving this training. We examined GTAs' knowledge and perceptions of autistic college students and suspected that GTAs would not be sufficiently knowledgeable about present ASD facts, and those with autistic family members would be more knowledgeable. We also suspected most learning about ASD occurs through word-of-mouth and the popular media, and that GTAs have little to no training on supporting neurodiverse learners.

Methods

Participants

This study was approved by the university's institutional review board. Participants were recruited from a large public research university over two semesters. Inclusion criteria were being age 18 or older and a present or previous GTA at this university. Study information was published to the weekly graduate student listserv four times each semester. Participants completed the consent and survey online. One hundred thirty-one (n = 131) respondents attempted the survey, with an overall response rate of 5% compared with the total number of GTAs employed each semester. The final sample included 92 participants after removing respondents who had never been a GTA at this university (n = 9) or who discontinued early (n = 30). This sample is sufficient to detect a large effect size for analyses with power = 0.8 and alpha = 0.05.

Procedure

Descriptive analyses examined demographic information and ASD knowledge. Analyses included correlations, independent sample t-tests, and chi-square tests. The analytic approach varied as a function of data type (continuous vs. categorical), with categorical data requiring alternative statistical approaches (e.g., chi-square tests).

Measures

The Autism Awareness Survey (AAS), a 14-item survey, assessed ASD knowledge.¹⁵ It was most recently revised in 2014, based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV-TR).¹⁹ Detailed psychometrics (e.g., validity and reliability) were not reported.¹⁵ While the AAS has seven questions referring to children, it has been used previously to survey university students and faculty about general autism knowledge and therefore was determined to be appropriate for the present study.¹⁵ Respondents were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with each item (Table 1) and a total score was computed by adding all correct answers, with higher scores indicating greater ASD knowledge. While the AAS content was not modified for the present study, demographic and supplemental questions were added (e.g., Have you heard of ASD and through what source? Do you think ASD rates are increasing? Do you self-identify as autistic? Do you have an autistic immediate or extended family member? Have any of your students disclosed being autistic to you?). Participants were also asked if they felt well-equipped to teach autistic college students, if they had received disability-related and/or ASD-specific training from the university, and what type of GTA training they would like to see offered.

Table 1.

Correct Responses to Autism Awareness Survey, in Decreasing Order

	Correct answer	%
8. There is one intervention that works for all children with autism.	Disagree	96.74
9. Children with autism can grow up to live independently.	Agree	93.48
2. Vaccines are causing an increase in autism.	Disagree	90.22
3. There is a cure for autism.	Disagree	83.7
13. It is important that all children with autism receive special education services.	Agree	79.35
10. Autism is a developmental disorder.	Agree	78.26
12. Children with autism are smarter than standardized tests indicate.	Agree	78.26
5. All children with autism display poor eye contact.	Disagree	76.09
14. With the proper treatment, most children with autism will eventually outgrow it.	Disagree	73.91
11. Autism can be diagnosed as early as 18 months old.	Agree	71.74
6. Autism is more frequently diagnosed in males than in females.	Agree	66.3
4. Autism runs in families.	Agree	61.96
7. Changing a child's diet will lessen the severity of autism symptoms.	Disagree	56.52
1. Autism is an emotional disorder.	Disagree	52.12

Source: Tipton and Blacher, 2014.¹⁵

Results

Individual factors

Demographic information is contained in Table 2. Correlations and t-tests were conducted between ASD knowledge and demographic variables to explore potential relationships. There was no significant relationship between total accuracy with age (r = 0.06, p = 0.56) and no differences on overall accuracy of ASD knowledge by gender (t(89) = −1.40, p = 0.17) or graduate school level (t(88) = −0.76, p = 0.45). Similarly, there was no significant difference in AAS score between those with (n = 25) and without (n = 67) an autistic family member (t(90) = −0.15, p = 0.88). Individuals with an autistic family member did not feel better-equipped to teach undergraduate autistic college students (χ²(2) = −1.48, p = 0.48).

Table 2.

Demographics of Graduate Teaching Assistants in Study Sample

Demographic variable	Values for study sample (n = 92)
Gender, % female (n)	64.13 (59)
Age, mean (SD), years	27.19 (4.58)
Ethnicity, % (n)
Caucasian	67.39 (62)
Asian	17.39 (16)
Hispanic/Latino	4.34 (4)
African American	3.26 (3)
Native American	1.09 (1)
Other	4.34 (4)
Missing	2.17 (2)
Highest completed education, % (n)
Bachelor's	53.26 (49)
Master's	44.57 (41)
Doctorate of philosophy	2.17 (2)
Current program, % (n)
Doctorate of philosophy	71.74 (66)
Terminal master's	28.26 (26)
Nationality, international student, % (n)	26.09 (24)
GTA status, current GTA, % (n)	59.78 (55)
Prior teaching experience, % (n)
Taught laboratory course	43.47 (40)
Taught introductory course	30.43 (28)
Taught 3000- or 4000-level course	17.39 (16)
Taught graduate-level course	7.60 (7)
Missing	1.09 (1)
Semesters of teaching, mean (SD)	3.49 (2.49)
GTA self-identified as autistic, % (n)	1.09 (1)
Immediate family member is autistic, % (n)	5.43 (5)
Extended family member is autistic, % (n)	21.74 (20)

Taught student(s) who self-identified as autistic, % (n) 11.96 (11).

GTA, Graduate Teaching Assistant; SD, standard deviation.

Overall AAS scores

Most GTAs had heard of ASD (83%, n = 76). Respondents' scores ranged from 3 to 14 correct answers, with an average score of 11 (standard deviation [SD] = 2.00) or 76% correct. More than half (61%, n = 56) scored 10 or greater. Respondents were most accurate in their knowledge that ASD is not caused by vaccines (90% correct) and least accurate (57% correct) in whether a change in diet can change core characteristics of ASD²⁰ (Table 1).

Sources of knowledge

Of the participants who had heard of ASD (n = 76), sources of knowledge included a family member (n = 51; 67%), college course (n = 14; 18%), the popular media (n = 11; 14%), or another source (n = 1; 1%).

Training needs

Few respondents reported feeling well-equipped (n = 14; 15%) to teach autistic college students. An overwhelming majority (n = 89; 97%) indicated that they had not received training related to ASD, although some GTAs (n = 11; 12%) reported training on how to support students with broader mental or physical health difficulties. Respondents suggested an online training, a brief workshop, a course on pedagogy, or better access to resources would be welcome supports to expand their understanding of autistic learners.

Discussion

As the number of autistic college students increases, it is essential to have knowledgeable, trained junior and senior faculty to support them. This study examined GTAs' understanding of general information about ASD. While GTAs had greater knowledge of ASD than anticipated, there is a perceived lack of ASD-specific training. Most GTAs showed fair to good knowledge of ASD characteristics, suggesting that many GTAs have some basic understanding of this condition. Word-of-mouth from family members was the most common source of information regarding ASD. A minority of respondents indicated receiving information about ASD through the popular media, suggesting information from a relative was more accessible than print, radio, or television media.

In contrast to our hypothesis, having an autistic family member was not associated with increased knowledge about ASD or feeling more prepared to teach autistic college students, which could be due to differences between the home and academic settings. Most GTAs knew there is not one intervention suitable for all autistic individuals,²¹ autistic children can grow up to live independently,²² and ASD is not caused by vaccines. Findings suggest that, while many GTAs are somewhat aware of the diversity of the autistic spectrum, there is room for improvement. GTAs knew less about specific features and causes of ASD (e.g., whether ASD is an emotional disorder, whether diet can help alleviate characteristics of ASD, if ASD runs in families, and if ASD is more common in males or females). These misconceptions indicate potential GTA training areas.

Overall, few GTAs felt well-equipped to teach autistic undergraduate students. However, GTAs' confidence in teaching non-autistic students was not measured. As such, our findings could indicate a broader lack of GTA training on pedagogical theory and application. Instructor education is critical to developing an academically and emotionally supportive community within academia. Based on the qualitative responses from the GTAs in our study and our own teaching experiences, we suggest ASD education be incorporated into pre-existing GTA training, in the form of seminars, in-depth training workshops, peer mentorship programs, graduate courses, or teaching certificate. Prior research suggests that resources could focus on how to help autistic students better understand classroom expectations, manage their time, utilize coping skills to regulate emotions, and decode social cues.⁹ Autistic students should be involved in all stages of developing these resources.

Limitations

The AAS draws on literature that is 6–7 years old and could be improved by using strengths-based and identity-first language. In addition, half of the survey questions specifically mention “children,” meaning that the survey may be measuring respondents' understanding of autism in children, rather than more general information about autism. Furthermore, the diversity of autistic features may not have been captured by the AAS. Our overall response rate of 5% was small (although similar to Tipton and Blacher's¹⁵ response rate of 4%), predominantly composed of Caucasian women, and only one respondent identified as autistic. As such, results are best considered a snapshot of the needs at this institution. Knowledge of ASD may be higher in our sample due to self-selection. Future research with larger, more diverse samples across institutions is necessary for generalizability.

In sum, this study provides an exploration of the needs of instructor training at an American public research university, indicating gaps in knowledge of ASD and lack of specific GTA preparation. By providing GTA education and training, they may be better prepared to support the learning needs of neurodiverse students. Creating a more understanding faculty community could provide autistic college students a better opportunity for a positive college experience.

Authors' Contributions

Dr. Hassenfeldt contributed to study conception and design, data collection, data analysis, writing, and editing the manuscript. Ms. Factor and Ms. Strege were both involved with data analysis, writing, and editing. Dr. Scarpa was involved in study design, data collection, data analysis, writing, and editing. All coauthors have reviewed and approved this manuscript before submission. Select preliminary data were shared previously in poster format at the Conference for Higher Education Pedagogy in 2015.

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist. This study was conducted entirely at Virginia Tech. The first author is now employed by the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development at the Duke University School of Medicine.