Research on autistic students’ higher education experiences has increased in recent years. Scholars have called for deeper investigation into the role and impact of family on these experiences (Ames et al., 2025; B. K. Dallas et al., 2015), yet the topic remains understudied. Autistic and non-autistic steering group members also affirmed this research agenda as a top priority. The present thesis therefore aimed to understand the roles that family members play in autistic students’ university journeys, and the impact of their involvement. In Study 1, a scoping review was conducted to identify the family-related constructs discussed in extant literature, and to synthesise the various perspectives on these constructs. Twenty-three studies discussing family involvement, family support, the role of family, and family relationships were included. The review found that the main role of family in autistic students’ higher education journeys is to provide non-academic support, which must be negotiated in accordance with students’ independence and autonomy. Steering group members also guided the design and materials of an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach (Studies 2 and 3) to investigating autistic university students’ family relationships, support dynamics, and the impact of support on student outcomes, which has not otherwise been investigated in the United Kingdom. Study 2 involved semi-structured interviews with 26 autistic students and 11 family members of autistic students regarding their family relationships and support dynamics. Findings from reflexive thematic analysis indicated that while students benefit from family support, supportive relationships between students and family members are complex and shaped by various individual and family factors. Study 3 comprised an online survey with 52 autistic students, which examined the quantitative impact of five types of family support (emotional, informational, practical, emergency, and financial) on four student outcomes (wellbeing, academic performance, university completion, and post-university engagement). Family support was not significantly associated with student wellbeing or academic performance; data on university completion and post-university engagement could not be analysed due to sample size limitations. Overall, family support was valuable and beneficial for autistic students, though its quantitative impact remains unclear. Collective recommendations include strengthening the collaboration between families and higher education institutions to improve students’ experiences. Future research should further investigate the quantitative impact of family support, particularly in non-Western contexts.
The Role and Impact of Family on Autistic Students’ University Journeys: A Community-Informed, Mixed-Methods Investigation
Lim, T. C. E. (Author). 23 Jun 2026
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis