Closing the Diagnostic Gap: Early Detection of Neurodivergent Traits Among University Women in Mexico’s Higher Education System

The underdiagnosis of neurodivergent traits among university women in Latin America remains a barrier to educational equity. This study presents the design and validation of a psychopedagogical screening protocol for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Applied to 241 students from Mexican public universities, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified a five-factor structure with high reliability (α = .875). ROC analysis showed excellent discriminative capacity, determining an optimal cutoff score of 78.5. The study proposes and an integrated strategy with faculty training and referral protocols. Findings highlight the need forgender-sensitive screening frameworks to support early detection intervention, and inclusive policies.