Working With the Neurodivergent Brain: The Role of Psychological Safety in Advising Relationships of Doctoral Engineering Students
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This dissertation investigates how psychological safety in doctoral advising relationships shapes the experiences and self advocacy of neurodivergent PhD students in engineering. Grounded in the neurodiversity paradigm, intersectionality, psychological safety, and self-advocacy models, the study employs a narrative methodology through episodic interviews with 11 neurodivergent engineering PhD students. Thematic analysis and six composite narratives address three questions: 1) How do advisor behaviors during critical moments and experiences shape neurodivergent doctoral students' psychological safety within the advising relationship, and how does this, in turn, influence students' outcomes in graduate engineering programs?, 2) How do the students' identities as neurodivergent impact the development of psychological safety with doctoral advisors?, 3) How does psychological safety in advising relationships impact neurodivergent, engineering PhD students' ability to self-advocate? Five interrelated themes emerge: 1) diagnosis and self-knowledge; 2) impacts of psychological safety on disclosure in advising relationships; 3) anxiety as both a cause and a consequence of psychological safety; 4) the interplay of psychological safety with interest-based motivation and productivity; and 5) sensitivity to justice as both a motivator and a source of tension in advising relationships. The findings reveal that psychological safety is a central environmental condition for enabling neurodivergent students to understand and voice their needs, request accommodations, and sustain motivation. Low safety, in contrast, fosters masking, self silencing, and disengagement, possibly leading to burnout and attrition. Intersectional identities intensify risks of stigma and power imbalances, making advisor support crucial in buffering institutional inequities. Improving outcomes for neurodivergent engineering PhD students requires transforming advising relationships and graduate program cultures, not "fixing" individuals. Empathy, flexibility, support, and discretion from advisors are pivotal for cultivating psychologically safe environments in which neurodivergent students can self advocate effectively, develop sustainable work practices, and thrive in research.
Source: VTechWorks (Virginia Tech)
Author: Martini, Larkin Michaela
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7164721659