Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022
BackgroundPeople with disabilities face many health, economic and social disparities. Loneliness is recognized as a significant issue for this group however, its impact on students with disabilities (SWDs) remains a critically underexplored area of research. Importantly, as higher education continue...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1408837/full |
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| author | William Bevens Sarah E. Stoeckl Stephen M. Schueller Jeongmi Kim Biblia S. Cha Cindy Chwa Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nakia C. Best Dara H. Sorkin |
| author_facet | William Bevens Sarah E. Stoeckl Stephen M. Schueller Jeongmi Kim Biblia S. Cha Cindy Chwa Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nakia C. Best Dara H. Sorkin |
| author_sort | William Bevens |
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| description | BackgroundPeople with disabilities face many health, economic and social disparities. Loneliness is recognized as a significant issue for this group however, its impact on students with disabilities (SWDs) remains a critically underexplored area of research. Importantly, as higher education continues its transition to the digital space, the potential to entrench social isolation and loneliness within this population has not been examined. This research seeks to explore the associations between SWDs, loneliness, online learning, and academic outcomes in a national survey of university students.MethodsUsing the National College Health Assessment from Spring 2022, this study compared multiple outcomes between different groups of SWDs and students without disabilities. Two ordinal regression models were used to estimate associations between loneliness, disability type and learning mode (online vs. in-person), as well as cumulative grade average (CGA) with disability type.ResultsAll disability types included within this study were positively associated with increased odds of loneliness for those engaged in online learning compared to students without disabilities. Interactions indicate a significant effect of in-person learning compared with online learning for deaf or hard of hearing students, and those with multiple disabilities. Several disability groups reported decreased odds of higher CGA compared to students without disabilities.ConclusionLoneliness is a significant issue for all SWD groups reported in this study. The impact of disability on academic outcomes is reported herein; however, its impact on medium-to-long term outcomes for these individuals remains unknown. To address inequities in higher education for SWDs, universities must invest more resources to holistically support these students. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-05ee5302a291433891449a89583c8f8a |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-05ee5302a291433891449a89583c8f8a2025-08-20T02:17:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782024-10-011510.3389/fpsyg.2024.14088371408837Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022William Bevens0Sarah E. Stoeckl1Stephen M. Schueller2Jeongmi Kim3Biblia S. Cha4Cindy Chwa5Nicole A. Stadnick6Nicole A. Stadnick7Nicole A. Stadnick8Nakia C. Best9Dara H. Sorkin10Department of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychological Science, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United StatesAltman Clinical and Translational Research Institute, Dissemination and Implementation Science Center, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United StatesChild and Adolescent Services Research Center, San Diego, CA, United StatesSue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesDepartment of General Internal Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, United StatesBackgroundPeople with disabilities face many health, economic and social disparities. Loneliness is recognized as a significant issue for this group however, its impact on students with disabilities (SWDs) remains a critically underexplored area of research. Importantly, as higher education continues its transition to the digital space, the potential to entrench social isolation and loneliness within this population has not been examined. This research seeks to explore the associations between SWDs, loneliness, online learning, and academic outcomes in a national survey of university students.MethodsUsing the National College Health Assessment from Spring 2022, this study compared multiple outcomes between different groups of SWDs and students without disabilities. Two ordinal regression models were used to estimate associations between loneliness, disability type and learning mode (online vs. in-person), as well as cumulative grade average (CGA) with disability type.ResultsAll disability types included within this study were positively associated with increased odds of loneliness for those engaged in online learning compared to students without disabilities. Interactions indicate a significant effect of in-person learning compared with online learning for deaf or hard of hearing students, and those with multiple disabilities. Several disability groups reported decreased odds of higher CGA compared to students without disabilities.ConclusionLoneliness is a significant issue for all SWD groups reported in this study. The impact of disability on academic outcomes is reported herein; however, its impact on medium-to-long term outcomes for these individuals remains unknown. To address inequities in higher education for SWDs, universities must invest more resources to holistically support these students.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1408837/fulllonelinessdisabilityonline learningmental healthhigher education |
| spellingShingle | William Bevens Sarah E. Stoeckl Stephen M. Schueller Jeongmi Kim Biblia S. Cha Cindy Chwa Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nicole A. Stadnick Nakia C. Best Dara H. Sorkin Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 Frontiers in Psychology loneliness disability online learning mental health higher education |
| title | Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 |
| title_full | Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 |
| title_fullStr | Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 |
| title_short | Loneliness, online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities: results from the National College Health Assessment Spring 2022 |
| title_sort | loneliness online learning and student outcomes in college students living with disabilities results from the national college health assessment spring 2022 |
| topic | loneliness disability online learning mental health higher education |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1408837/full |
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