Disability disclosure in higher-level education: Exploring the impacts on wellbeing, social and assistive supports and perceived stigma
Please read below information regarding research that you may wish to participate in:
Grace Carrick is a final year Undergraduate Psychologist student at Dublin City University. Grace is currently conducting a research project under the supervision of Dr Emma Delemere. To take part in this study, you must be over the age of 18, attending a higher-level institution or have left in the last year and feel you have or experience a disability.
The purpose of this research is to look at differences among students with disabilities at higher-level institutions who are, or are not, registered with the disability support services at their institution (disclosure status).
To participate in this study, you are not required to have a formal diagnosis but feel you have or experience a disability, neurodivergence, impairment, learning difficulty, chronic or impactful illness, or mental health condition or difficulty. Students with disabilities face greater challenges in higher-level education. Students with disabilities experience social isolation and have poorer well-being and academic outcomes. Higher education institutions provide support which aims to reduce difficulties, but disability disclosure and registration with disability support services is needed to access support. Students may not disclose due to fear of stigma or difficulties getting a formal diagnosis. As non-disclosure impacts access to assistive supports and reduces social support this may have impacts on students’ experiences in Higher Education institutions.
If you decide to participate in this study, you will be asked to take part in an online anonymous survey through Qualtrics. The survey will take around 15 minutes to complete. The study will look at disability and disability disclosure and non-academic outcomes. You will be asked questions on well-being (meaning a feeling of contentment, with low levels of emotional worry, overall good physical and mental health, and outlook), social support from friends, family and lecturers, stigma awareness (noticing hurtful opinions from others) and use of assistive supports. Assistive support can be broadly described as any support that allows students to participate fully in all aspects of student life and help reduce the impact of their disability on their learning (e.g., assistive technologies, exam accommodations, counselling).
If you would like to take part in this study, please click on this link https://dcupsychology.fra1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_daMuVUsvF84k8Au
If you require any further information regarding this research. Please contact the principal research Dr Emma Delemere at emma.delemere@dcu.ie
