The Lived Experiences of Neurodivergent Students in a Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program: A Qualitative Study

As postsecondary institutions strive to become more inclusive for students with disabilities, increasing numbers of neurodivergent students are enrolling in higher education. However, retention rates for neurodivergent students remain significantly lower compared to their neurotypical peers. This disparity presents challenges for institutions where there is a lack of awareness of and understanding how to effectively support the needs of neurodivergent students, particularly in clinical mental health counseling programs. This qualitative study analyzed the experiences of neurodivergent students diagnosed with autism, ADHD, traumatic brain injury, or related conditions in a clinical mental health counseling program. Through a Semistructured interview, the study examined the usefulness of various supports and strategies that contributed to their persistence and degree completion. The study’s findings revealed both faculty and peer supports were crucial in helping neurodivergent students to become acclimated to and persist through the program. Furthermore, an awareness of neurodivergent academic challenges, the development of higher-level cognitive strategies, and the presences of self-determination and passion emerged as key factors for overcoming barriers to degree completion. These insights point to the need for further research to examine distinctions between knowledge, skills, and dispositions versus learning styles in neurodivergent students, and highlight the importance of addressing specific challenges faced by ADHD neurodivergent students in clinical mental health counseling programs.