Promoting occupational engagement on college campuses by meeting the mental health needs of neurodiverse college students

The effects of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic have brought to light a disturbing trend in the prevalence of mental health concerns among those transitioning from high school to college (Dunley & Papadopoulos, 2019; Hamza et al., 2021). While young adults are embarking on a new chapter in their lives, providing opportunities for increased independence and self-efficacy, they are also experiencing challenges to daily routines and roles requiring executive functioning, time management, ADLs, and IADLs. Furthermore, college students are adjusting to a new environment including communal living (with its own unique set of policies and procedures), roommates, and being away from the familial support system for the first time. Although these are usually reasonable challenges for neurotypical young adults, neurodiverse college students can face more challenges due to their unique set of diverse needs, which may not be met with traditional university supports such as counseling, resident advisors, academic advisors, and general retention efforts. In these instances, the unique skillset of occupational therapy practitioners can help support the student role of neurodiverse individual to navigate the intricacies of the college experience by supporting successful daily occupational engagement and self-advocacy.