Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Role of Family in Postsecondary Settings: A Systematic Review of the Literature

This article provides a systematic review of the literature pertaining to students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the potential role of family members in higher education settings. The research questions guiding the review included: (a) What is the identified role(s) of family members of postsecondary students with ASD in postsecondary educational settings? and (b) Does family involvement in postsecondary education settings result in positive outcomes for students with ASD? The search terms, "Autism Spectrum Disorder," "familial involvement," "postsecondary education," and "educational success" and appropriate synonyms, yielded six articles that fit the inclusion criteria for this review: empirically-based studies conducted in the United States, either dissertations or peer-reviewed articles, published between the years 2003 and 2014, and included some mention of family support or involvement for college students with ASD. Given the very small sample of articles that met the criteria for this review and the limitations of each article, not enough research on family involvement exists to answer the research questions. It is unclear whether or not family members should be involved in postsecondary educational settings, what their potential roles might be, and if family member involvement would be beneficial for students with ASD.