University Climate and Neurodiversity Accommodations: Associations with Academic and Social-Psychological Student Outcomes

In the United States, going to college is an important milestone and mechanism for developing one’s future career. However, higher education is not equitably accessible for all populations of students. Neurodiverse populations (students with ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia, etc.) often struggle with newfound independence, mental health, and experience several barriers with university policies and climate. University disability resource centers (DRCs) as well as the overall university’s acceptance and support of neurodiversity can serve as important correlates of neurodivergent students successfully navigating higher education. We assessed the relationship between attitudes toward the DRC, perceived university acceptance and accommodation support, and students' academic (e.g., self-efficacy) and social-psychological (e.g., belonging) outcomes. Students ( N =163) who perceived the university climate as more accepting and supportive of accommodations had higher sense of belonging, lower depressive symptomology, were more likely to say they could reach their academic goals, had higher academic self-efficacy, and compared themselves more positively to their peers. Results speak to the vital connections between neurodivergent student outcomes and broad university level climate perceptions above and beyond accommodation utilization.