Neurodivergent students remain underrepresented and underserved in graduate programmes (Syharat et al., 2023). This study aims to increase the understanding of a possible reason for such a phenomenon – masking. Masking neurodivergence in general significantly predicts experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression and can be associated with burnout (Arnold et al., 2023; Hull et al., 2021). In academia, self-efficacy predicts students' performance, while receiving teacher support correlates with positive academic emotions. Thus, those aspects might be protective factors in the outcomes of neurodivergent students’ camouflaging (Lei et al., 2018; Bartimote-Aufflick et al., 2016).

Our study’s aim is to explore how masking neurodivergent traits predicts: experienced negative emotions related to studying, low self-efficacy, and burnout in an academic context. These relations may be moderated by academic performance and receiving university support. Our participants are neurodivergent students from Jagiellonian University from various departments. We test the above-mentioned variables with four questionnaires, in an online qualitative/quantitative study, and we are going to present the results in our talk.

Importantly, testing the impact of masking on emotions, self-efficacy and burnout, is essential to understand the process of neurodivergent individuals’ accommodation to a university environment. Further, it can verify which actions can be performed by authorities to improve students’ well-being and reduce the camouflaging of their identity. The protection of neurodivergent individuals’ well-being is invaluable for the equalisation of their academic or research opportunities, and the application of their vast strengths.

Authors:
Adriana Sarnek, Jagiellonian Univeristy, Poland
Agata Augustyn, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Marcin Danielewski, Jagiellonian Univeristy, Poland
Jakub Łaskawiec, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Krzysztof Gerc, Jagiellonian University, Poland
Aleksandra Krogulska, Jagiellonian University, Poland

About the Presenter(s)
Agata Augustyn is a student undertaking a master's degree in Psychology in the Institute of Applied Psychology at Jagiellonian University. She also has a master's degree in law. Her interest focus on social psychology.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/agata-augustyn/

Connect on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Agata-Augustyn

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

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