The Social Association for Students with Autism: principles and practices of a social group for university students with ASD

ABSTRACT This article describes the principles and operation of a social group for university students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The assumptions underlying the group are consistent with aspects of the social model of disability and neurodiversity paradigm as well as the principles of mutual aid support groups. The group prioritizes social experience rather than social skills by explicitly accepting unconventional behavior and multiple ways of engaging in it. Operationalizing these principles occurs during the recruitment stage and by employing an active and responsive facilitation style during meetings. The reported benefits of the group suggest that this approach to providing support for students with ASD may contribute to the efforts of postsecondary institutions to meet the unique needs of this population.