Perceptions of Stigma and Identity among College Students with Psychosocial Disability
We have wrapped data collection on a qualitative study on the experience of undergraduate students with psychosocial disability (also known as mental illness). The purpose of this study was to see how college students incorporate their diagnoses into their sense of identity and to understand how differing levels of stigma in a student’s environment influence the extent to which they adopt their diagnoses as part of their sense of self.
Student researchers: Elizabeth Kilgallon, Psychology, 2021; Sophie Hoffmann, Psychology, 2024
Presentations: Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity, April 2025
Attitudes toward the Value of College for Students with Intellectual Disability: Perspectives from Traditionally Enrolled Peers
Students with intellectual disability (ID) are attending college at higher rates than ever before. Through a variety of pathways, students with intellectual disability are experiencing the social, educational, and vocational benefits of higher education. To be successfully integrated into campus life, however, students must be welcomed by their traditionally enrolled peers in all aspects of campus life. We are currently analyzing survey and open-ended responses from traditionally enrolled students, both with and without disability, collected in 2017 and 2023.
Student researcher: Emily Achuck, Psychology, ‘2020.
Presentations: Gatlinburg Conference, 2024 (HTML, PPT).