Neurodiversity on Campus: Are Colleges Affirming?

More neurodivergent students are attending college than ever. In addition, as diagnoses of autism, ADHD, and other neurodevelopmental conditions rise, more individuals are recognizing these divergencies in themselves, including college faculty and staff. Yet, neurodiversity has only recently gained acknowledgment as a part of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. To learn about how colleges are encouraging the success of neurodivergent students, faculty, and staff, I talked with two neurodiversity experts, Katie Belcher-Miller, a licensed mental health counselor and certified autism specialist working in private practice, and Kimberly Gillette, a licensed clinical social worker working in private practice. Katie and Kimberly have navigated the waters of empowering neurodivergent students on and off campus.

The Road to Diagnosis

One challenge regarding the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD is access. While the diagnostic process can vary between clinicians, often psychological testing is involved. Sometimes, newfound independence paired with new demands on executive functioning are catalysts for noticing that something might be going on. This may be especially true for neurodivergent people who have masked their traits or had a high level of support in high school before leaving for college.

When I spoke with Katie and Kimberly, both acknowledged that diagnosis is key to gaining support from campus and that the diagnostic process can be arduous. Katie, a neurodivergent clinician, shares that diagnostic ambiguity can sometimes delay proper support. She shares her own experience, "for me personally, I found out in college that there was a strong possibility of ADHD. I went to a psychiatrist, thinking that they would clarify things. But they said I don't want to say 100% that you're ADHD, because of the anxiety." Thus began a long diagnostic process for Katie. Yet, Katie also discusses that more recently, college students she has interacted with appear more aware of the resources available to them.

Kimberly speaks to the road involved in gaining an accurate diagnosis, and that a diagnosis is often required by student disability services. Yet, not all neurodivergent students have received a diagnosis before college. She shares, "People have spiky profiles," as she talks about how many neurodivergent students find great strength in some areas on some days and significant needs. She shares that there can often be a "lack of understanding that these are dynamic disabilities."

Still, throughout the diagnostic process, other diagnoses that do not require intensive testing, such as anxiety disorders and depression, can qualify students for support. In addition, college counseling and accessibility centers can be integral in referring students for testing or may even have resources available on-site to provide assessments. Kimberly, in particular, reflects on her creation of a neurodiversity consultation group, which allowed her to gain quality resources as a college counselor to refer students to.

Seeking Accommodations and Other Supports

The accessibility office is typically the gateway to accessing accommodations such as extended time on tests or the ability to record a lecture for college classes. A neurodiversity-affirming accessibility center can offer a space of support and community for neurodivergent students to meet others with similar neurotypes. At times, having a designated space can also be helpful to students who may be tackling the time management piece of transitioning to a college environment.

Katie reflects that self-advocacy is critical in obtaining support, yet sometimes the very diagnosis leading students to seek support can also make it difficult to self-advocate. Similarly, Kimberly shares that resources are best when there is a neurodiversity-affirming element, adding that issues such as autistic burnout can run rampant among autistic students. While the signs of autistic burnout might overlap some with anxiety or depression, the treatment is different. In anxiety or depression, strategies such as behavior activation are typically used. In contrast, these are not always helpful and may even be harmful in cases of autistic burnout. Autistic burnout usually requires a longer-term recovery process, including elements of rest and change to existing overwhelming stressors.

It is helpful if these supports are informed by the voices of neurodivergent students. A research study that began with a program focused on “social skills” but pivoted to a group on self-advocacy based on feedback from the students receiving services found that participation in the self-advocacy group correlated with a higher sense of academic self-efficacy and social support (Gillespie-Lynch et al., 2017).

Neurodivergent Faculty and Staff

It's not just students who are neurodivergent. Many faculty and staff members may also be neurodivergent. These individuals may have differences in communication styles. For example, some autistic individuals may find eye contact distracting and prefer not to make eye contact. This can be misunderstood by neurotypical peers, who are not aware of how eye contact is experienced by said person.

Neurodiversity Essential Reads

Your Employee Experience Is Probably Missing This One Thing

Neurodiversity Programming Needs a Reset

Kimberly shares that training for all, which not only spotlights neurodiversity in students but also as a whole can foster environments that are welcoming to everyone. Katie also states, "It's key for professors to gain knowledge about neurodiversity," highlighting that a neurodiversity-affirming campus is more than a neurodiversity-affirming accessibility office.

In Conclusion

There are many steps that colleges can take to provide neurodiversity-friendly spaces. As well, more and more colleges are taking these steps. In time, it can be hoped that all colleges will be affirming.