'It's All in Your Head:' Students with Psychiatric Disability Navigating the University Environment

The number of students in higher education with psychiatric disabilities is rising; about one in three undergraduates identify as having some type of mental health condition (U.S. Dept. of Education, 2014). This qualitative study explores the experiences of 14 college students with one or more psychiatric disabilities (PD), who were receiving accommodations at a mid-sized four-year public university. Semi-structured interviews were transcribed, and four major themes were identified through inductive thematic analysis: (a) the effects of stigma on the university experience, (b) the impact and effect of the symptoms of PD for students in the university environment, (c) strategies for coping with the disability in the university environment, and (d) the role of social support from university faculty and staff. The findings of the research, their salience to the educational success of students with PD, and recommendations for improved outcomes are reported.