Peer Education to Promote the Social Acceptance of Autistic Students in Inclusive Education Settings: A Narrative Review
KAFKAS EĞİTİM ARAŞTIRMALARI DERGİSİ, cilt.13, sa.2, ss.676-696, 2026 (TRDizin)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Derleme
- Cilt numarası: 13 Sayı: 2
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Dergi Adı: KAFKAS EĞİTİM ARAŞTIRMALARI DERGİSİ
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Education Source Ultimate (EBSCO), Central & Eastern European Academic Source (CEEAS), EBSCO Education Source, Directory of Open Access Journals, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.676-696
- Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Inclusive educational placement alone does not necessarily mean that autistic students will experience social acceptance, meaningful participation, or reciprocal peer relationships. This narrative review examined how peer education may contribute to the social acceptance of autistic students in inclusive education settings. Three areas were addressed: the conceptualization of peer knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions; the theoretical foundations and types of information underpinning peer education; and common patterns and differences in the characteristics and reported outcomes of structured programs. The literature was identified through iterative Google Scholar searches using English and Turkish terms, with the final search conducted in August 2026. Relevant peer-reviewed empirical, theoretical, conceptual, and review publications were comparatively examined and narratively synthesized in relation to the guiding questions. The synthesis indicates that knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions are related yet distinct dimensions of peer response and should not be treated as interchangeable indicators of social acceptance. Peer education draws on complementary theoretical perspectives and typically incorporates descriptive, explanatory, and directive information in developmentally appropriate, multicomponent formats. Across the reviewed programs, positive changes in autism-related knowledge were reported most consistently, whereas changes in attitudes were less uniform and findings concerning behavioral intentions were mixed. Actual peer interaction, sustained social acceptance, and belonging were examined less frequently. Evidence from Türkiye was particularly limited. The review concludes that peer education should extend beyond factual information to prepare peers and classroom environments for reciprocal interaction and participation. Future programs should be responsive to cultural and developmental contexts, incorporate diverse autistic perspectives, and be evaluated using relational and real-world indicators of social acceptance.