Postsecondary Educational Experiences of Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

The postsecondary experiences of adults diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) were examined in this qualitative research. Tinto's Student Integration Model (SIM) (1975, 1997) provided the theoretical framework that guided the study. Tinto posits that the interplay of background characteristics, academic integration, and social integration affect persistence in postsecondary education. The participants included four adults with FASD ( 3 males and 1 female) and their parents. In-depth interviews were conducted with the adults with FASD and their parents responded to open-ended questions in an online survey. Only one of the adults completed a postsecondary program. It was found that the background characteristic factor, and specifically having FASD, affected academic and social integration. Suggestions for revisions to the SIM are proposed, recommendations for postsecondary course instructors and academic counselors are made, and factors to consider when selecting a postsecondary program for an individual with FASD are described.