Burnout: The Cost of Masking Neurodiversity in Graduate STEM Programs

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

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: Promoting Well-Being in Engineering Education: Strategies and Perspectives
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods Division (ERM)
Page Count: 17
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--43092
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/43092
Download Count: 918

Paper Authors

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Connie Mosher Syharat University of Connecticut orcid.org/0000-0002-7913-863X

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Connie Mosher Syharat is a Ph.D. student in Curriculum and Instruction and a Research Assistant at the University of Connecticut as a part of two neurodiversity-centered NSF-funded projects, Revolutionizing Engineering Departments (NSF:RED) "Beyond Accommodation: Leveraging Neurodiversity for Engineering Innovation" and Innovations in Graduate Education (NSF:IGE) Encouraging the Participation of Neurodiverse Students in STEM Graduate Programs to Radically Enhance the Creativity of the Professional Workforce". In her time at the University of Connecticut she has also has served as Program Assistant for a summer program in engineering for middle school students with ADHD. Previously, she spent eight years as a K-12 teacher in Connecticut, where she maintained a focus on providing a varied learning environment and differentiated instruction for all types of learners. She received her Master’s Degree in Modern Languages from Central Connecticut State University in 2011. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies and her teaching certificate from Connecticut College in 2001. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction at UConn's Neag School of Education.

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Alexandra Hain University of Connecticut

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Alexandra Hain is an Assistant Professor at the University of Connecticut in structural engineering. She received her PhD in Structural Engineering in 2019 from the University of Connecticut. She has an interest in engineering education and workforce development.

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Arash Esmaili Zaghi P.E. University of Connecticut orcid.org/0000-0003-2246-2911

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Arash E. Zaghi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He received his PhD in 2009 from the University of Nevada, Reno, and continued there as a Research Scientist. His latest

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Catherine G. P. Berdanier Pennsylvania State University orcid.org/0000-0003-3271-4836

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Catherine G.P. Berdanier is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry from The University of South Dakota, her M.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering and her PhD in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Her research expertise lies in characterizing graduate-level attrition, persistence, and career trajectories; engineering writing and communication; and methodological development.

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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.

Citation
Format

Syharat, C. M., & Hain, A., & Esmaili Zaghi, A., & Berdanier, C. G. P. (2023, June), Burnout: The Cost of Masking Neurodiversity in Graduate STEM Programs Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--43092

TY - CPAPER
AB - 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.
AU - Connie Mosher Syharat
AU - Alexandra Hain
AU - Arash Esmaili Zaghi P.E.
AU - Catherine G. P. Berdanier
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Burnout: The Cost of Masking Neurodiversity in Graduate STEM Programs
UR - https://peer.asee.org/43092
DO - 10.18260/1-2--43092
ER -