Professor and Peer Perceptions of Requests for Academic Accommodations in College

An Examination of ADHD and Specific Learning Disorder

Bibliographic Data

ID13671104
AuthorsElizabeth K Lefler (0000-0002-5399-4649, University of Northern Iowa, corresponding author), Helena F Alacha (0000-0001-8418-8626, Department of Phychology, University of Northen Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Louisville), Brendan M Weed (University of Northern Iowa), Chloe J Reeble (0000-0001-7338-0647, Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA; Department of Educational Psychology, University of Nebraska -Lincoln), Anna Garner (University of Northern Iowa), Anna M Garner (Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA; Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education, Michigan State University)
Year2023
Volume128
Issue2
Pages1134-1161
Publication date2023-02-15
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePsychological Reports (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-2941 • E-ISSN: 1558-691X
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00332941231156821
PMID36792310
OpenAlexW4320880582
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited60

University students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and specific learning disorder (SLD) have higher rates of academic difficulty than their unaffected peers. Thus, some academic accommodations may be useful to them. However, research suggests that college students are hesitant to use their approved academic accommodations for fear of negative perceptions. The aim of the current study was to examine the perceptions of professors and fellow college students (i.e., peers) who were presented with a vignette depicting a fictitious student requesting an academic accommodation. It was hypothesized that professors and peers would have more negative impressions of students needing accommodations because of ADHD and SLD diagnoses, as compared to three other reasons (i.e., depression, a visual impairment, or collegiate athletics [specifically basketball]). In a sequence of two similar experiments, professors and then peers were presented with one of the five vignettes, and were asked to rate the student on various measures of academic ability and work ethic, among other things. Overall, our data suggested relatively positive perceptions of college students who request academic accommodations. However, contrary to the hypothesis, the fictitious basketball player received the most negative ratings. Implications and future directions are discussed

Accommodation · Basketball · Medical education · Perception · Vignette · Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder · Behavioral and Psychological Studies · Clinical Psychology · Disability Education and Employment · Psychology · Social Psychology

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Open DOI