Student Stories: Microaggressions in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract

Purpose Microaggressions and how they affect underrepresented college students have been frequently documented. However, there is a lack of literature on the experiences of underrepresented communication sciences and disorders (CSD) students. The purpose of this study is to understand how underrepresented post baccalaureate, undergraduate, and graduate students in CSD experience microaggressions in their academic programs. Method A 19-item electronic survey was developed by American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Multicultural Issues Board and distributed via multiple online platforms. A diverse group of 155 underrepresented CSD students completed the survey. A multistage qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze students' experiences. Results Students (64.51%) who completed the survey have experienced microaggressions in their academic programs. Prominent themes of students' descriptions of microaggressions included feelings of otherness, damaging generalization, maltreatment from faculty, and maltreatment from peers. Students reported various responses to microaggressions including identity management strategies, disengaging, and working hard to exceed expectations and to prove themselves. Conclusions This study illustrates the ways that underrepresented CSD students experience symbolic violence from clients, peers, and faculty. It has implications for the need to cultivate more inclusive learning and social environments in CSD programs. Further research is needed to explore the ramifications of microaggressions and ways to effectively reduce and eventually eradicate them. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.15240723