Abstract

This study looks at how autistic students experience strength-based approaches in high school. While these approaches, which focus on students’ strengths, are becoming more popular, we still don’t know enough about how students feel about them. To understand this better, we interviewed 16 autistic teenagers who were either still in high school or had recently finished. From these interviews, we identified eight key themes that describe the benefits these students experienced using their strengths and interests in school and what they believe is important for these approaches to work. By listening to autistic students’ voices, we hope to bridge the gap between ideas about inclusive education and real-life school practices, ultimately helping to create school environments that are better for all students and staff. This research will support schools in creating strengths-based approaches that meet autistic students' needs.

Citation

White, J., McGarry, S., Williams, P. J., & Black, M. H. (2025). "We think differently, we learn differently, but at the end of the day we're not that different": Strengths-based approaches in high school from the perspectives of autistic adolescents. Autism, 0(0). doi.org/10.1177/13623613251348557