Surviving in the mainstream: Capacity of children with autism spectrum disorders to perform academically and regulate their emotions and behavior at school

This study compares teachers’ perceptions of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to their perceptions of typically developing students with regard to capacity to perform academically and regulate emotions and behavior in mainstream classrooms. A case-control research design was used to compare teacher ratings of academic performance and classroom emotional and behavioral regulation of 28 students with ASD (with average range IQ) and 51 age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) students drawn from the same mainstream classrooms. Teachers rated students with ASD as exhibiting behavioral and emotional difficulties (including attention difficulties, anxiety, depression, oppositional and aggressive behaviors) to a significantly higher level than their typically developing peers. Fifty-four percent of students with ASD were rated as under-achieving academically as compared to 8% of typically developing students. Students with ASD seem to be underperforming relative to their level of ability and are struggling to maintain their attention and regulate their emotions and behaviors in mainstream classrooms, despite receiving a range of specialist support services in the classroom. Consideration needs to be given to investigating alternative models of supporting these students in mainstream classrooms and assisting them to develop strategies to cope with the student role.