Diversity in Education Study (DivES): Investigating a neurodiversity module in higher education

PLOS One | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327379 July 21, 2025 5 / 12 to ensure transparency and respect for participant autonomy, the first question within the survey asks for explicit student informed written consent. This consent form outlined the study’s purpose, length, potential risks and benefits, and confi- dentiality. Opportunities for consent-related questions were provided in-person during class. To maintain the integrity of the study, instructors were blind to student consent status (i.e., they knew all students completed the survey for class but were not aware of who consented for their data to be used within this study). The study utilized a pre-post-design using Qualtrics© (Qualtrics, Provo, UT). Data were stored, de-identified, and shared by the Office of Undergraduate Research. All data were used for university programming but only those who consented (n = 153) are included in this research report. The six-part survey included questions assessing social issue attitudes (e.g., racism, ableism), racial experiences (e.g., racial discrimination), engagement in social action, identity, and mental health. A portion of the survey contained a series of questions on neurodiversity and ableism. The ableism questions utilized fourteen statements adapted from the Contem- porary Critical Consciousness Measure II (CCCMII) [30]. For the larger DivES study recruitment began August 15, 2021, and is still ongoing. The data selected for this report includes all consented students between the recruitment period of

15/08/2021 to 15/05/2022. Functionally, this was Fall, 2021 and Spring, 2022 terms at Purdue University (the first year of the DivES study). Neurodiversity module One week of the 16-week course was dedicated to students engaging with material related to neurodiversity. Before attending the lectures for that week, students were required to read Chapter 6, Understanding Privilege Through Ableism, from the textbook, Is Everyone Really Equal: An Introduction to Key Concepts in Social Justice Education, Second Edition written by Ozlem Sensoy and Robin DiAngelo (2012) as well as the article Neurodiversity: An insider’s perspective written by Jacquiline den Houting (2019). Additionally, students were required to listen to Radiolab’s podcast Juicervose produced by Kelsey Padgett. Students were asked to complete a comprehension quiz on the assigned readings and podcast prior to lecture. They were given the choice of reading Sibling Relationships Over the Life Course – Growing up with a Disability by Hila Avieli, Tova Band-Winterstein, and Tal Araten Bergman (2019). One class period was dedicated to a presentation on neurodiversity. Information was presented on the Disability Rights Movement, Neurodiversity Movement and different models and ideas related to disabilities and neurodiversity. Another class period, students were asked to either (a) attend a neurodiversity panel and listen to neurodivergent individuals’ experiences or (b) engage in an in-person session with a neurodivergent peer who attends an alternative life skills univer-

sity. The in-person session had a social focus and students were asked to engage with neurodivergent peers. The hope was that by learning about neurodiversity, individuals would reaffirm or change their thoughts and opinions regarding neurodiversity, and they would then display that reaffirmation or change in their post-survey responses. Table 2. Sample race and ethnicity information. Race na Endorsed multiple categories African American 10 6 Asian American/Asian 12 2 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander White/European American Hispanic/Latinx Native American/American Indian 1 133 12 1 1 12 8 1 Note. a Individuals could endorse more than one category. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327379.t002