Mainstream schooling may lead to low self-esteem, isolation

While mainstream classrooms can help students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) learn important social, academic, and communication skills, a new report indicates that these benefits may come at a price in the form of reduced self-esteem and increased isolation. 

Emma Williams and colleagues analyzed information from 17 studies investigating the effects of mainstream schooling on individuals with ASD. The researchers found that many students with ASD internalized the negative attitudes and responses of other students toward them. This, combined with unfavorable social comparisons to their classmates, led to a sense of being “different” and more limited than other students. 

The researchers say that this negative self-perception could lead to increased isolation and low self-esteem, making students with ASD more susceptible to mental health problems. 

Williams and her team also found that students with ASD experienced challenges in dealing with noisy classrooms and playgrounds. This too, they say, could increase social isolation and a feeling of being “different.” 

The researchers say that students with ASD who developed supportive friendships and felt accepted by their classmates had fewer social difficulties and felt better about themselves. They say this indicates that it is crucial for schools to create a culture of acceptance for all students. 

Williams says, “We are not saying that mainstream schools are ‘bad’ for pupils with autism, as other evidence suggests they have a number of positive effects, including increasing academic performance and social skills. Rather, we are suggesting that by cultivating a culture of acceptance of all and making small changes, such as creating nondistracting places to socialize, and listening to their pupils’ needs, schools can help these pupils think and feel more positively about themselves.”

Citations

“How pupils on the autism spectrum make sense of themselves in the context of their experiences in a mainstream school setting: A qualitative metasynthesis,” Emma I. Williams, Kate Gleeson, and Bridget E. Jones, Autism, November 15, 2017 (epub prior to print publication). Address: Emma I. Williams, [email protected]. 

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“School exacerbates feelings of being ‘different’ in pupils with autism spectrum conditions,” news release, University of Surrey, November 16, 2017.