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School connectedness and the primary to secondary school transition for young people with autism spectrum conditions
Author(s) -
Hebron Judith S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
british journal of educational psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.557
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 2044-8279
pISSN - 0007-0998
DOI - 10.1111/bjep.12190
Subject(s) - social connectedness , psychology , developmental psychology , autism , inclusion (mineral) , mental health , autism spectrum disorder , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychiatry
Background Young people with autism spectrum conditions ( ASC ) face many educational challenges, particularly in terms of academic achievement, social inclusion, and mental health. School connectedness is linked to many positive outcomes and may be of particular salience at the primary–secondary school transition, when young people with ASC are expected to cope in new and unfamiliar settings. Aims This study explores for the first time school connectedness across the primary to secondary school transition for young people with ASC . Sample Twenty‐eight students with ASC (23 male, five female) and a comparison group of 21 students with no additional needs (16 male, five female) participated. Methods A longitudinal design was used to measure school connectedness across transition at four time‐points from the end of primary school, into the first and second years of secondary school. Students completed the Psychological Sense of School Membership (Goodenow, 1993, Psychology in the Schools , 30, 79) questionnaire at each time‐point, with responses analysed statistically. Results Students with ASC reported positive levels of school connectedness across transition, although their scores remained lower than those of their typically developing peers. The gap between the two groups narrowed significantly during the first year of secondary school, with students in the ASC group reporting improving levels of school connectedness, although there were non‐significant signs of a decline for both groups in the second year. Conclusions Transition can be a positive experience for students with ASC . However, their consistently lower levels of school connectedness compared to those of their peers highlight the need for ongoing monitoring and support during secondary education.