Peer Education to Promote the Social Acceptance of Autistic Students in Inclusive Education Settings: A Narrative Review

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.