ABSTRACT
Emotional engagement is described as their interests in school-related challenges and their reactions towards their teachers and peers. These various components of engagement are positively associated with one another. The participants focused more on the psychological, cognitive, and affective engagement of autistic students and less on the academic and behavioural components. All three groups of participants discussed the psychological engagement of autistic students. Several teachers equated students’ engagement in school to being socially engaged with peers. Majority of the parents emphasised the need for autistic students to feel psychologically engaged by being a part of the school community. The adult and student participants focused on the psychological aspect of engagement, which is in line with self-determination theory. The self-determination theory states that individuals’ sense of autonomy, competence, and connectedness are basic human needs.
