Search

Objective and Methods: The study examined sexual victimization among college students with disabilities (n = 187) using an online survey at a large southern university. Students reported one or multiple disabilities: physical disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), learning disabilities, and emotional disabilities, with most students reporting more than one disability. Results: Overall, 71% of the sample experienced one or more types of lifetime sexual assault and/or rape, and 51% reported sexual victimization since attending the university. There were no significant differences in experiencing sexual assault and/or rape between students with one disability compared to students with more than one disability. Conclusions: Considering the high rates of sexual victimization among students with disabilities, and the dearth of research focusing on the context of sexual assault in this population, future research and research-based prevention initiatives are needed. Findings can inform future prevention efforts to address sexual violence among students with disabilities on campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This one-year follow-up study examined the changes of impact of using social media among college students with disabilities from the initial survey. 193 students completed the follow-up survey of the 341 who agreed to participate. Paired t-test compared the changes in social media usage between the two surveys. Multiple linear regressions examined the relationship of social media use variables and social media addiction, career networking, disability subtypes between the two surveys. The daily average time spent on social media remained similar over one year. However, the level of social media addiction increased, especially among male students. One positive change was that students spent more time using social media for career networking purposes. Public awareness and education of social media addiction should be raised. Additionally, students could benefit from being guided and encouraged to use social media for positive activities such as career networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University and college counseling centers (UCCCs) are a front-line support for the mental health needs of autistic students, though little is known about clinician attitudes, comfort level, and training in autism. 89 UCCC clinicians were recruited via email listservs. The authors developed a survey which assessed attitudes, comfort level, and training in autism. The majority of clinicians (82.0%, n = 73) had interacted with autistic students in the past year, and reported high levels of comfort with treating anxiety and depression. However, a smaller number reported confidence in their ability to diagnose autism. Training on autism emerged as an important deficit, as 31.5% of the clinicians denied receiving training either in their educational program or the UCCC. In this pilot study, clinicians reported a discrepancy between self-reported levels of comfort with autistic college students and past training, highlighting continuing education as an important area for future intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]