Link Between Students’ Neurodiversity and Learning Difficulties

EasyChair Preprint no. 12529

Abstract

The increasing number of neurodiverse students entering higher education institutions poses a shared and growing challenge for educators. Access to higher education should be seen as the first step towards social inclusion, for which recognition of learning difficulties, teachers' knowledge of how to work and communicate with this group of students is of great importance. A quantitative research approach was used. Students’ learning difficulties were assessed on 40 attributes. Four developmental and mental health disorders were presented to show the expression of neurodiversity: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), depression, anxiety. The survey was conducted among 485 students of Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution. The following statistical methods were used: Factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, ANOVA test and Spearman correlation. Among surveyed students, anxiety and depression emerge as the most commonly reported concerns, while ADHD and ADS are less prevalent. Students with or suspected of having ADHD are more likely to report a lack of attention in learning activities, engaging in conversation and extraneous work, lack of time and distractibility, as well as specific learning disabilities. Students with or suspected of having ASD are characterised by difficulties in group work and sensory sensitivity in learning activities, as well as specific learning disabilities. Students with anxiety disorders and depression or self-reported anxiety disorders and depression have attention deficits in learning activities, difficulties in group work and sensory sensitivity in learning activities and specific learning difficulties. Students with ADHD, anxiety, and depression reported a lower Grade Point Average (GPA) for the last semester. Neurodiversity among students is a relevant phenomenon that is associated with learning difficulties that interfere with achieving good learning outcomes.

Keyphrases: anxiety, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Autism spectrum disorders (ASD), Depression, Higher education institution students, Learning difficulties., Neurodiversity

@Booklet{EasyChair:12529,
  author = {Viktorija Piscalkiene and Lijana Navickiene and Alina Liepinaitiene and Simona Jankauskaite and Daiva Bartusiene and Evelina Lamsodiene and Rasa Gaiziunaite and Vaida Valalyte and Vaidas Jotautis and Rasa Vaitkiene and Irma Spudyte},
  title = {Link Between Students’ Neurodiversity and Learning Difficulties},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint no. 12529},

  year = {EasyChair, 2024}}