Comparing self-perceptions, meta-perceptions, and peer judgments of the academic experience of autistic and non-autistic university students

Alhusayni, Afaf; Sheppard, Elizabeth; Marsh, Lauren

Abstract

Background. Previous research has shown that, when presented with brief samples of behaviour, non-autistic university students judge autistic peers less favourably than non-autistic peers on measures of academic experience (e.g. motivation to study, academic success, average grades). The current research aimed to determine whether these judgments accurately reflect the academic experiences of the autistic students, or represent a bias of non-autistic perceivers. We also investigated whether autistic students are aware of how they are perceived by their peers.

Methods Nineteen autistic and 19 non-autistic students (stimulus participants) were video recorded while completing a questionnaire about their academic experience. They self-reported their level of academic success, motivation to study, happiness at university, and average grades. They also reported their meta-perceptions about the same measures. Recorded videos were presented to 30 new non-autistic students (perceivers), who were asked to judge each stimulus participants’ academic success, motivation to study, happiness at university, and grades.

Results Autistic stimulus participants were rated less positively than non-autistic stimulus participants on all measures except motivation to study. Comparison with participants’ self-reports showed that perceivers’ judgments had a strong negative bias for ratings of autistic stimulus participants, but this bias was also present for non-autistic stimulus participants on some measures. Comparison of perceiver perceptions with stimulus participants’ meta-perceptions showed that neither group of participants was aware how they were perceived, and the autistic group expected to be perceived in an overly positive way.

Conclusions We replicated previous research showing autistic people are perceived less favourably by non-autistic others in relation to their academic experience. As the perceptions were not accurate, we suggest this reflects a persistent bias in the perception of autistic people. Nevertheless, over time this bias could genuinely impact academic outcomes of autistic students, if it leads to exclusion from social and peer learning opportunities.

Citation

Alhusayni, A., Sheppard, E., & Marsh, L. (in press). Comparing self-perceptions, meta-perceptions, and peer judgments of the academic experience of autistic and non-autistic university students. Autism in Adulthood,

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 7, 2024
• Deposit Date: Aug 7, 2024
• Journal: Autism in Adulthood
• Print ISSN: 2573-9581
• Electronic ISSN: 2573-959X
• Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/38111449