Social Factors Causing Burnout of Disabled Students: Views of One Group of Allies of Disabled People

Burnout among students is a widely recognized concern, yet little research has focused on the experiences of disabled students and even less on the social factors at and off campus that contribute to their burnout. To address this gap, we surveyed 91 undergraduate students enrolled in a critical disability studies course at a Canadian university using an online qualitative survey approach. These students, many of whom see themselves as allies of disabled people, were asked whether they believe disabled students are at risk of burnout and what they perceive to be the causes. The majority viewed disabled students as being at significant risk, and 92% identified the social environment as the contributor. Attitudinal inaccessibility, including discrimination, stigma, and exclusion, has emerged as the leading factor in both university settings and broader societal contexts. These findings suggest that interventions to reduce burnout must address both educational environments and the wider lived realities of disabled students. This study contributes to the limited literature on burnout among disabled students and highlights the importance of ally perspectives in understanding and addressing systemic contributors to burnout.