Date of Award

7-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Jessica L. Wildman, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Lisa A. Steelman, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Catherine Nicholson, Ph.D.

Fourth Advisor

Heidi Hatfield Edwards, Ph.D.

Abstract

A great deal of organizational investments have gone towards diversifying the labor force as of late. However, the same cannot be said for efforts made towards making newly acquired talent feel included. Neurodivergent individuals in particular have not been sufficiently welcomed in organizations, partially explaining their reluctance to disclose their identity along with feeling excluded. Despite researchers framing the characteristics displayed by neurodiverse talent as natural variations found at the tail ends of the bell curve, many people are incapable of viewing them as such. Discrimination and stereotyping have thus resulted, further dampening neurodivergent employees’ work experiences. These two factors are often embedded in organizations’ diversity climates which guide the ideologies held by its employees. This work leveraged stigma theory and optimal distinctiveness theory to examine the experience of neurodivergent employees specifically regarding disclosure and feelings of inclusion within the context of their organization’s diversity climate. Despite failing to obtain support for the hypotheses in the current study, statistically significant correlations were found between all variables within the model except for disclosure. This was also the case when assessing people who identified as neurodivergent and people who disclosed their identity in the workplace. Neurodiversity literature will be extended as the following was addressed in this study: (1) the cost-benefit analysis associated with disclosure, (2) neurodivergent employees’ satisfaction with accommodations, (3) the perception of an inclusive workplace, and (4) the experiences of different subgroups within neurodiversity. This study also cited theoretical and practical implications.

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