Wellbeing and success: Examining the experiences of neurodiverse college students

Project Abstract

Evidence suggests that autistic students are graduating at a lower rate than their neurotypical peers (38.8% vs 52.4%; Jackson et al., 2018). Given this retention concern, colleges should provide services specific to neurodiverse students’ needs and wellbeing, both academically and socially, yet most campus disability resources focus solely on academic support (Jackson et al., 2018; Siew et al., 2017). In recent years, some universities have started adopting programs that target the broader social and emotional needs of neurodiverse students, specifically by fostering community and authenticity (Fotheringham et al., 2023; Siew et al., 2017). Building on recent qualitative findings from neurodiverse college students (Herrmann, 2024), this study seeks to examine the experiences of neurodiverse college students and to determine what factors are associated with neurodiverse student wellbeing.

Participants who identify as neurodiverse and as college students were asked to complete an online survey containing the following measures: College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (CSSWQ; Renshaw, 2020), Multidimensional Scale Of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet et al., 1988), Multidimensional Scale of Social Identification (Leach et al., 2008), General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (GASE; Nielsen et al., 2018), Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory Short Form (MPFI-24; Rolffs et al., 2016), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales Short Form (DASS-21; Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995). Participants were also asked demographic questions pertaining to their sex, gender, race/ethnicity, age, GPA, year in college, and neurodiverse identity.

We hypothesized that students with higher perceived social support, more positive social identification, higher academic self-efficacy, higher psychological flexibility, and less depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms will have higher subjective wellbeing. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was run for all variables. There was a strong positive correlation between perceived social support and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .63, p < .001. No significant relationship was found between social identification and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .14, p = .379. There was a strong positive correlation between academic self-efficacy and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .73, p < .001. There was a strong positive correlation between psychological flexibility and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .68, p < .001. There was a moderate negative correlation between psychological inflexibility and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = -.35, p = .026. There was a moderate negative correlation between depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = -.49, p = .001. Therefore, all hypotheses were supported excluding the social identification hypothesis.

Additionally, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted between the predictor variables (i.e., perceived social support, social identification, academic self-efficacy, psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and subjective wellbeing. The overall model was significant (F(6, 33) = 12.53, p < .001, R² = .70), meaning that 70% of the variance in subjective wellbeing was accounted for by the predictor variables. Only perceived social support (β = .33, p = .012) and academic self-efficacy (β = .38, p = .012) emerged as significant predictors.

The results of this study can be used to inform existing programs and supports as well as to develop new programs to better meet neurodiverse students’ needs based on factors that increase student wellbeing, specifically academic self-efficacy, social support, and psychological-flexibility. These factors can be targeted by university programs, such as by implementing acceptance and commitment therapy programs within university counseling centers to increase psychological flexibility (Viskovich & Pakenham, 2019). Additionally, increasing overall wellbeing of neurodiverse students could potentially increase retention rates of neurodiverse students.

Although more autistic individuals are attending college than in previous years, evidence suggests that they are graduating at a lower rate than their neurotypical peers (38.8% vs 52.4%; Jackson et al., 2018). Given this retention concern, colleges should provide services specific to neurodiverse students’ needs and wellbeing, both academically and socially, yet most campus disability resources focus solely on academic support (Jackson et al., 2018; Siew et al., 2017). In recent years, some universities have started adopting programs that target the broader social and emotional needs of neurodiverse students, specifically by fostering community and authenticity (Fotheringham et al., 2023; Siew et al., 2017). Building on recent qualitative findings from neurodiverse college students (Herrmann, 2024), this study seeks to examine the experiences of neurodiverse college students and to determine what factors are associated with neurodiverse student wellbeing.

Participants who identify as neurodiverse and as college students were asked to complete an online survey containing the following measures: College Student Subjective Wellbeing Questionnaire (CSSWQ; Renshaw, 2020), Multidimensional Scale Of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet et al., 1988), Multidimensional Scale of Social Identification (Leach et al., 2008), General Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (GASE; Nielsen et al., 2018), Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory Short Form (MPFI-24; Rolffs et al., 2016), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales Short Form (DASS-21; Lovibond and Lovibond, 1995). Participants were also asked demographic questions pertaining to their sex, gender, race/ethnicity, age, GPA, year in college, and neurodiverse identity.

We hypothesized that students with higher perceived social support, more positive social identification, higher academic self-efficacy, higher psychological flexibility, and less depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms will have higher subjective wellbeing. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was run for all variables. There was a strong positive correlation between perceived social support and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .63, p < .001. No significant relationship was found between social identification and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .14, p = .379. There was a strong positive correlation between academic self-efficacy and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .73, p < .001. There was a strong positive correlation between psychological flexibility and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = .68, p < .001. There was a moderate negative correlation between psychological inflexibility and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = -.35, p = .026. There was a moderate negative correlation between depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and subjective wellbeing, r(38) = -.49, p = .001. Therefore, all hypotheses were supported excluding the social identification hypothesis.

Additionally, a multiple linear regression analysis was conducted between the predictor variables (i.e., perceived social support, social identification, academic self-efficacy, psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms) and subjective wellbeing. The overall model was significant (F(6, 33) = 12.53, p < .001, R² = .70), meaning that 70% of the variance in subjective wellbeing was accounted for by the predictor variables. Only perceived social support (β = .33, p = .012) and academic self-efficacy (β = .38, p = .012) emerged as significant predictors.

The results of this study can be used to inform existing programs and supports as well as to develop new programs to better meet neurodiverse students’ needs based on factors that increase student wellbeing, specifically academic self-efficacy, social support, and psychological-flexibility. These factors can be targeted by university programs, such as by implementing acceptance and commitment therapy programs within university counseling centers to increase psychological flexibility (Viskovich & Pakenham, 2019). Additionally, increasing overall wellbeing of neurodiverse students could potentially increase retention rates of neurodiverse students.

Conference

Midwestern Psychological Association Annual Meeting 

April 16-18, 2026 

Midwestern Psychological Association 

https://midwesternpsych.org/meeting/ 

Funding Type

Travel Grant

Academic College

College of Education & Human Services

Area/Major/Minor

Communication Disorders and Psychology

Degree

Bachelor of Arts

Classification

Senior

Name

Michael Bordieri, PhD

Academic College

College of Humanities and Fine Arts

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