The needs of autistic male students in secondary education in the Netherlands and Mexico: A Q-methodology study

Secondary education can be a challenging environment for autistic students. Previous investigations show that autistic learners go through negative and distressful school experiences, possibly due to a lack of identification and understanding of their unique needs. Yet, research on the needs of autistic students, and particularly from their own perspective, is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to distinguish different need-profiles for autistic males in the Netherlands and Mexico (n = 44), two countries with an inclusive educational approach. Using Q-methodology, a combined quantitative and qualitative technique, we were able to identify three groups of autistic males with distinct need-profiles in each country. In this paper, we explore the similarities and differences between the most and least pressing needs of these groups of learners. Notably, autistic students across factors and countries had a strong need for teachers' understanding of their autism and the implications it has for the way they learn. Our findings indicate that there are several ways teachers can best support autistic male adolescents in mainstream secondary education.