Cognitive and Emotional Profiles of Adolescents with Autism in an Inclusive School Context: A Comparative Study

Abstract

This study examines the cognitive and emotional profiles of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within an inclusive international school context. Despite increasing policy emphasis on inclusive education, current assessment practices remain heavily reliant on behavioural measures, which may not adequately capture students’ internal cognitive and emotional processes. This study aims to compare adolescents with ASD and neurotypical peers across three domains: self–other representation, cognitive processing, and emotional regulation.

A comparative mixed-methods design was employed. Sixty-one neurotypical students and five adolescents diagnosed with ASD participated. Data were collected using the Rorschach Performance Assessment System (R-PAS; Meyer et al., 2011) and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale – Second Edition (GARS-2; Gilliam, 2006), allowing for triangulation between performance-based and behavioural measures.

Findings indicate that students with ASD demonstrate reduced interpersonal differentiation, weaker cognitive integration, and elevated internal stress, despite appearing behaviourally regulated in classroom contexts. These results highlight a discrepancy between observable behaviour and underlying psychological functioning.

The study concludes that performance-based assessment provides valuable insights into the internal experiences of autistic learners and should be integrated into inclusive educational practice to support more comprehensive and responsive intervention strategies.