Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

10-2025

School/College

College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences (COLABS)

Degree Name

MA in Sociology

Committee Chairperson

Dr. Brittany C. Slatton

Committee Member 1

Dr. Carla D. Brailey

Committee Member 2

Dr. Faith Foreman-Hays

Keywords

Neurodiversity, Disability Studies, Ableism, Masking, Black Feminist Thought

Abstract

This study establishes the college completion experiences of Black neurodiverse women (n=53), a population historically rendered invisible in higher education research. Grounded in Dis/ability Critical Race Studies (DisCrit), Black Feminist Thought, the Black Feminist Disability Framework, and the Neurodiversity Paradigm, the research documents how intersectional identity, structural barriers, and mental health outcomes shape degree attainment. Data was collected through a mixed-methods online survey targeting this specific demographic. The findings demonstrate that college completion for this population is an act of resistance against racialized sexist ableism. Thematic analysis identified six central themes: Systemic Barriers in Higher Education, Intersectional Identity Burdens, Internal Struggles and Mental Health, Barriers to Diagnosis and Treatment, Strategies of Survival and Navigation, and Visions for Change. Quantitative results reveal a profound physiological toll, with 71.7% of participants meeting clinical depression thresholds and 57.7% reporting moderate-to-severe anxiety. Furthermore, a documented 45-percentagepoint gap between informal disclosure (62%) and formal accommodation (17%) provides empirical evidence of institutional gatekeeping.

The research introduces two theoretical concepts: Multiplicative Masking, describing the labor of managing conflicting racial, gendered, and neurotypical expectations; and the Neurodiversity Tax, defining the uncompensated labor students perform when institutions deny support. Participants’ persistence was not merely about degree attainment; it was a profound advocacy for visibility and human recognition within higher education.

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