Article Career Development for College Students With Asperger’s Syndrome

An increasing number of students with Asperger’s syndrome are entering college today. Students with Asperger’s syndrome face complex symptomology such as difficulty with social skills, narrowed interests, sensory issues, and lack of self-awareness that may affect their ability to complete college and successfully enter the workforce. Career counselors could apply social cognitive career theory as an effective intervention when working with college students diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome. A case illustration is presented as an example. Keywords Asperger’s syndrome, college students, social cognitive career theory Colleges and universities today are becoming increasingly diverse and are enrolling more students with disabilities than ever before. Approximately 11 % of students attending postsecondary institutions are identified as having a disability (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2008). Smith (2007) reported that the number of college students with Asperger’s syndrome is on the rise. While the exact number of students with Asperger’s syndrome attending college is unknown, it is estimated that approximately 1 of the 150 adolescents have a diagnosis on the autism spectru