College Students with Invisible Illnesses and Disabilities: Disclosure, Hiding, and Support

Abstract:College students with invisible disabilities (SWIDs) represent a hidden population whose experiences are largely unexamined. The purpose of this exploratory study was to learn about their disability disclosure experiences and the assistance they might find most useful in relation to their invisible illness or disability (IID). The study included 237 participants reporting 59 IIDs. Results indicated first disclosures were to friends and roommates and subsequent disclosures were to friends and faculty members. Additionally, most participants felt the need to hide their IID at college (64.1%). Qualitative findings pointed to the influence of stressful situations and judgmental comments on participants’ hiding their IID. In addition, the study revealed SWIDs’ conceptions of support, the features that enabled disclosure, and supports needed when SWIDs struggle with their IID. Implications and ideas for future research were proposed.