Date
5-22-2024
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Chair
Dina Samora
Keywords
autism, neurodiversity, self-efficacy, STEM, pedagogy
Disciplines
Education
Recommended Citation
Banning, Cecil Anthony, "Neurodiversity Persistence in STEM Programs: A Phenomenological Study of Self-Efficacy Among Autistic Students in Higher Education" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5634.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5634
Abstract
The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of self-efficacy among neurodiverse students in STEM programs at four-year universities. Albert Bandara’s social cognitive theory (SCT) guided this study as it relates to the influence of environment, social interaction, and communication on learning development and academic mastery. Improving academic self-efficacy among neurodiverse students in STEM programs in higher education begins with understanding how these students encounter the academic world. SCT provided the framework for this study to answer the central research question and sub-questions: (1) What are the self-efficacy experiences of neurodiverse students currently enrolled in a STEM program at four-year institutions in the United States? (2) How do autistic students in STEM-related fields of study experience the social campus environment? (3) How do autistic students in STEM-related fields of study perceive the academic support and accommodations they receive? This study reviewed the background of diversity and inclusion in higher education, research related to the experience of autistic and other neurodiverse students, and the need for a pedagogical approach in STEM programs that accommodates the varied needs of neurodiverse students. The study involved eleven autistic students currently enrolled in STEM-related majors who have completed at least one year of higher education. The research took place at two four-year institutions in the United States: Greenwood University (pseudonym), a state-sponsored institution in the Northeast, and Hightower University (pseudonym), a private research institution in the South. Additional participants were identified through snowball sampling. Data were collected by individual interviews, anecdote discussions, and a focus group. Data analysis followed Moustaka’s modification of Van Kaam’s method of phenomenological analysis.
