Sharing Student Projects

The aim of this dissertation was to understand the experiences of students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed Autism/Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The research aimed to do this through three research questions regarding (1) understanding their experiences of their transition, (2) identifying the factors students felt contributed to their experience, such as who they received support from, or what they feel did not help them, and (3) how students reflected on and understood their transition experience in light of receiving an ASC or ADHD diagnosis. The study recruited UK university students and recent graduates who had received either a diagnosis of or referral for ASC or ADHD while at university, as these students would have therefore transitioned to university with these conditions undiagnosed. To address the aims and research questions outlined above, data was collected through the use of online, text-based focus groups. After ethical approval had been granted, the researcher posted questions to the focus groups centred around the research questions outlined above, and participants who agreed to take part were asked to answer these questions, reflecting back on their transition experience. As the focus groups were text-based, participants were able to type their answers to whichever topics they felt comfortable discussing and had up to a week to do so. Participants could also discuss their experiences with other participants in their focus group. Results showed that participants experienced a number of changes across the transition period, including changes to routine and structure, changes in academic expectations and environment, and a new sense of independence. Many students experienced challenges with navigating all these changes at once, which is consistent with existing literature, as students with ASC and ADHD are often found to face additional challenges navigating this (Khalis et al., 2018; Van Hees et al., 2015). Participants in the current research had difficulties coping with the changes, doing so by engaging in heavy drinking or isolating themselves. Participants also noted that they were coping differently to their peers, which is common in students with ASC (e.g., Van Hees et al., 2015), however this was a particular problem for participants in the current study. Both new and existing friendships were perceived as crucial sources of support for participants, while participants noted the lack of support they received from university as something that made their transition more difficult. This is consistent with existing findings (e.g., Khalis et al., 2018; Lambe et al., 2018; Stevens et al., 2023). Finally, students explained how receiving their diagnosis provoked mixed feelings of acceptance and understanding, but frustration over what could have been. Although not in a university context, these mixed emotions regarding diagnosis is common amongst adults diagnosed with ASC or ADHD (e.g., Leedham et al., 2020; Hallerod et al., 2015). From this, it was concluded that students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed ASC and ADHD experienced similar challenges to those who were diagnosed prior to university, however the consequences of these challenges were amplified due to not being able to view difficulties through the context of a diagnosis. The need to further understand these experiences, as well as the barriers to diagnosis and support, was highlighted

The findings from this research may prove useful to universities, researchers, and university students diagnosed with ASC or ADHD. The current study highlights a need for better and more accessible support from universities for students making this transition, so the findings could potentially be used by universities to target the development of support for adjustment to university life. In doing so, if further support was implemented this would potentially benefit all students transitioning to university, however may prove particularly beneficial for students with undiagnosed ASC or ADHD, as demonstrated by the current findings. Finally, the current study highlighted a number of points for future research, such as in elevating the voices of students who transition to university undiagnosed, and facilitating the development of support in universities. If further research is carried out, this may benefit students who transitioned to university with undiagnosed ASC or ADHD, as a better understanding of their experience would be developed, as well as a better understanding of what support could be put into place.