Abstract

SANTOS, Tácia Soares dos; MONTENEGRO, Ana Cristina de Albuquerque; ROSAL, Angélica Galindo Carneiro  and  QUEIROGA, Bianca Arruda Manchester de. Social Communication and Academic Performance in University Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Rev. psicopedag. [online]. 2025, vol.42, n.129, pp.491-504.  Epub Jan 19, 2026. ISSN 0103-8486.  https://doi.org/10.51207/2179-4057.20250045.

This study aimed to analyze social communication and academic performance in university students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research included nine students diagnosed with ASD, enrolled in a public Higher Education institution. Social communication was assessed through face-to-face interviews based on the Protocol for the Assessment of Pragmatic Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (PAHPEA), adapted for adults. Academic performance was evaluated through students’ self-assessments and analysis of data obtained from the institution’s academic system. The results revealed difficulties in the pragmatic aspects of communication, particularly in prosodic variation, facial expressions, and eye contact. Furthermore, the lack of educational accessibility contributed to feelings of distress and anxiety and represented a significant barrier to the learning process, negatively affecting academic performance. It is concluded that implementing specific strategies to promote more effective communication and creating an accessible and inclusive educational environment are essential to ensuring the retention and academic success of university students with ASD, in alignment with the principles of inclusive education.

Keywords : Autism Spectrum Disorder; Social Communication; Academic Performance; College Education; Inclusive Education.

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