Perceptions of Autistic and Nonautistic High School Students Regarding Factors That Impact Their Motivation to Be Academically Successful

Despite a growing number of autistic children completing high school and venturing into college and vocational settings, their rates of postsecondary attendance, graduation, and vocational success still lag behind those of their nonautistic counterparts. This study surveyed 162 autistic and nonautistic high school students about internal and external factors that may increase or decrease their motivation to succeed academically. Results of this study suggest that autistic students rated neither internal nor external factors as significantly contributing to their academic success when compared to their nonautistic peers. Moreover, when compared to their nonautistic peers, autistic high school students were less likely to endorse motivators to their academic success that were future-oriented toward college and career success and more likely to favor factors related to seeking approval from others and validating their own capability for success.