# College and Beyond for Young Adults on the Spectrum

> **NIH NIH R01** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $441,430

## Abstract

The proposed research focuses on early adult outcomes for youth with autism spectrum
disorders as they compare to their neurotypical peers. Specifically, it involves a prospective,
longitudinal study of the experiences of college students on the autism spectrum designed to:
(1) compare educational, occupational, and health trajectories of students along the autism
spectrum and as they compare to neurotypical students; (2) evaluate explanations for
differences in outcomes between students on the spectrum and neurotypical students and for
variation in outcomes among students on the spectrum; and (3) compare the experiences of
students on the spectrum across socioeconomic status and institution types, including large
public 4-year institutions, small private colleges, and community colleges. Data will be collected
through online surveys and a parallel set of in-depth interviews. The former will allow us to
produce statistical estimates of differences between students on the autism spectrum and
neurotypical students. The latter will allow us to explore the meanings of these experiences as
students themselves describe them. The survey will be administered to students who are
registered for disability accommodations based on autism and a probability sample of the
general student population at 18 institutions (private and public, 4-year and 2-year) in the state
of Indiana. All students on the spectrum and a probability sample of neurotypical peers will be
invited to participate in annual, follow-up surveys; the sample will also be refreshed each year
with new students who have registered for disability accommodations and a sample of first-year
and transfer students. Data will be analyzed using state-of-the-art statistical models, including
hierarchical models, latent growth curve models, latent trajectory classes, and multinomial logit
models. In-depth interviews will be conducted with a subsample of students on the spectrum
who participated in the surveys and an additional sample of students from small, private
colleges that were not included in the survey.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10453702
- **Project number:** 5R01HD095971-04
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** JANE D MCLEOD
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $441,430
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-10 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10453702

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10453702, College and Beyond for Young Adults on the Spectrum (5R01HD095971-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10453702. Licensed CC0.

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