Understanding the Mental Health Experiences of Autistic Students in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Approach
| dc.contributor.advisor | McMorris, Carly | |
| dc.contributor.author | Williamson, Jennifer | |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Maroney, Meredith | |
| dc.contributor.committeemember | Szeto, Andrew | |
| dc.date | 2024-11 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-14T18:24:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-08-14T18:24:17Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-08-06 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Abstract Background: Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are a persistent problem among higher education students, especially students on the autism spectrum. The reasons behind autistic students’ high rates of mental health problems remain unclear, with few studies addressing this topic. However, several factors impacting mental health have been identified within autistic adults and non-autistic higher education students separately, such as perceived campus climate, internalized stigma, and camouflaging (attempts to hide one’s autism). Method: In this exploratory mixed methods study, I combined semi-structured interviews and online surveys to investigate factors associated with mental health among a sample of autistic students attending the University of Calgary (UCalgary). Quantitative analyses included collecting descriptive statistics from the survey and running correlations between mental health outcomes (e.g., stress, quality of life) and potential factors (e.g., campus climate, stigma, camouflaging), while qualitative analysis consisted of reflexive thematic analysis of interview data to understand participants’ lived experiences with mental health. Results: Based on 12 surveys and 10 interviews, several key findings emerged. First, participants reported high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Second, autism-specific quality of life was negatively correlated with stigma but positively correlated with camouflaging and campus climate; no other correlations between factors and mental health outcomes reached significance, although stigma and camouflaging had a strong negative correlation. Finally, three key themes were developed from the interviews: 1) autistic students have heterogeneous experiences with mental health; 2) mental health is affected by personal autism identity and societal-level messages about autism, including stigma; and 3) the UCalgary environment has both positive (e.g., providing autism-specific supports) and negative (e.g., too much sensory input) influences on mental health. Collectively, these findings support past literature and underscore the need to increase mental health support for autistic students. Conclusions and Impact: These initial findings highlight how a variety of individual and environmental factors contribute to autistic students’ mental health. Addressing these factors can create more inclusive environments at higher education institutions like UCalgary, thus fostering well-being and academic success for autistic and non-autistic students alike. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Williamson, J. (2024). Understanding the mental health experiences of autistic students in higher education: a mixed methods approach (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1880/119359 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Graduate Studies | |
| dc.publisher.institution | University of Calgary | |
| dc.rights | University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. | |
| dc.subject | autism | |
| dc.subject | neurodiversity | |
| dc.subject | mental health | |
| dc.subject | higher education | |
| dc.subject | post-secondary | |
| dc.subject | university | |
| dc.subject | mixed methods | |
| dc.subject.classification | Education--Higher | |
| dc.subject.classification | Psychology | |
| dc.title | Understanding the Mental Health Experiences of Autistic Students in Higher Education: A Mixed Methods Approach | |
| dc.type | master thesis | |
| thesis.degree.discipline | Psychology | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | University of Calgary | |
| thesis.degree.name | Master of Science (MSc) | |
| ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudent | I do not require a thesis withhold – my thesis will have open access and can be viewed and downloaded publicly as soon as possible. |