{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T07:34:17Z","timestamp":1788939257379,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1753056000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Roughly 20% of adults identify as neurodivergent \u2013 an umbrella term used to describe cognitively atypical individuals. Neurodivergent identities manifest in several forms including autism, attention dysregulation hyperactivity disorder\/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitively atypical trajectories. Despite a societal increase in acknowledgment and awareness of neurodiversity, there remains little to no discussion or critical understanding of neurodivergent individuals, especially within the realm of higher education (HE). The aim of this study, as part of the Diversity in Education Study (DivES), is to explore the impact of a neurodiversity-focused module within the college classroom. This study included 153 students (predominantly female, heterosexual, third-year students, with white\/European racial heritage); wherein, a neurodiversity-focused module was taught within the context of an undergraduate course on diversity. Pre (start of the term) and post (end of the term) surveys were compared to evaluate the impact of the module on student understanding of the term neurodiversity, self-endorsements of a neurodivergent identity, and critical consciousness of ableism. In sum, the neurodiversity-focused module increased neurodiversity awareness and self-endorsements but did not positively shift critical consciousness of ableism scores. Replication in larger and more diverse samples is needed before pedagogy recommendations may be solidified but this study provides preliminary support for the incorporation of a neurodiversity module within diversity-focused HE courses.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0327379","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]],"date-time":"2025-07-21T17:25:05Z","timestamp":1753118705000},"page":"e0327379","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":8,"title":["Diversity in Education Study (DivES): Investigating a neurodiversity module in higher education"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8920-6798","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Amy J.","family":"Schwichtenberg","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katherine","family":"Mirah","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amy","family":"Janis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Moon","family":"West","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Annabelle L.","family":"Atkin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,21]]},"reference":[{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327379.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1360","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691620959833","article-title":"Neurodiversity and the social ecology of mental functions","volume":"16","author":"R Chapman","year":"2021","journal-title":"Perspect Psychol Sci"},{"key":"pone.0327379.ref002","author":"MM Elsherif"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327379.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"381","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.13534","article-title":"Annual research review: shifting from \u201cnormal science\u201d to neurodiversity in autism science","volume":"63","author":"E Pellicano","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Child Psychol Psychiatry"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327379.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1591","DOI":"10.1177\/13623613241237871","article-title":"The neurodiversity concept was developed collectively: An overdue correction on the origins of neurodiversity theory","volume":"28","author":"M Botha","year":"2024","journal-title":"Autism"},{"key":"pone.0327379.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/27546330241237883","article-title":"A trans-diagnostic investigation of attention, hyper-focus, and monotropism in autism, attention dysregulation hyperactivity development, and the general population","volume":"2","author":"P Dwyer","year":"2024","journal-title":"Neurodiversity"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327379.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"757","DOI":"10.1007\/s10734-020-00513-6","article-title":"Neurodiversity in higher education: a narrative synthesis","volume":"80","author":"L Clouder","year":"2020","journal-title":"High Educ"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0327379.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"985","DOI":"10.1080\/09687599.2018.1455627","article-title":"Ableism in academia: where are the disabled and ill academics?","volume":"33","author":"N Brown","year":"2018","journal-title":"Disabil Soc"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0327379.ref008","article-title":"Neurodiversity and cognitive load in online learning: a focus group study","volume":"19","author":"A-L Le Cunff","year":"2024","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0327379.ref009","article-title":"Inclusion in the university: Who assumes responsibility? 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