Burnout: The Cost of Masking Neurodiversity in Graduate STEM Programs

Connie Mosher Syharat, Alexandra Hain, Arash Esmaili Zaghi, Catherine G.P. Berdanier

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

A growing body of literature suggests that neurodivergent individuals, such as those with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD possess unique abilities that may be assets in STEM fields. Despite the potential of neurodivergent students to leverage these abilities to contribute to innovation in their field, they face a multitude of barriers and difficulties as they navigate rigid educational environments. While there has been research on the strengths and challenges of neurodivergent STEM students at the undergraduate level, there is a lack of studies at the graduate level. This paper details findings from a qualitative study on the experiences of neurodivergent graduate students within their STEM programs. Findings from a series of 10 focus groups suggest that neurodivergent students face pressure to mask their neurodiversity-related traits and hide the challenges that they often face within their graduate program. Neurodivergent students often experience variations in attention, motivation, time management, and other elements of executive function; these variations may pose distinct challenges for neurodivergent students as they shoulder heavy workloads while attempting to maintain a healthy work-life balance. The findings from this study suggest that the additional pressure placed on neurodivergent graduate students to mask their experiences contributes to an unacknowledged cognitive and emotional load that may significantly impact their mental health in the form of anxiety and burnout. These findings have implications within the context of the advisor-advisee relationship, as variations in advising practices and communication styles may impact graduate students' perceived need to mask their neurodivergence. This paper aims to highlight the neurodivergent students' experiences with masking and the mental health challenges that neurodivergent students face as they navigate the demands of graduate-level STEM programs. It is anticipated that these findings may foster the adoption of inclusive advising practices for faculty advisors and program administrators and to enhance the educational experiences of neurodivergent students in graduate STEM programs.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings
StatePublished - Jun 25 2023
Event2023 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition - The Harbor of Engineering: Education for 130 Years, ASEE 2023 - Baltimore, United States
Duration: Jun 25 2023Jun 28 2023

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Engineering

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