Being yourself and being open about your diagnosis can lead to more understanding, some autism researchers at UVic say
Illustration by Sabina Mendoza.
As autistic students, we face many academic and non-academic struggles throughout our university careers. From writing exams to making friends, our autism unfortunately can make life extra challenging for us. One of the biggest challenges some of us face daily is navigating communication with other students.
This article has been written as a self-help guide of sorts to help my fellow autistics navigate the turbulent waters of communication with other students.
Dr. Megan Ames, an associate professor of psychology at UVic who researches autism, says that the main thing autistic students can do to help communicate with their non-autistic students is to be more transparent with their autism diagnosis.
“There was this … research endeavor by the Conference Board of Canada on neurodivergency across convening campuses,” Ames said. “One of the issues they highlighted, … a lot of autistic students don’t disclose their diagnoses.… But the students who did disclose actually reported greater satisfaction. So that somewhat suggests that disclosing your diagnosis might facilitate some conversations around needs.”
In an interview with the Martlet, Ames shared examples from her own personal experiences where students had disclosed their diagnoses to her. “That’s an individual process, whether or not to disclose a diagnosis, but it is something to consider, like what are the pros and possible consequences of doing so,” she said.
“Some of the students who have … disclosed their diagnosis with me, and that kind of came up naturally in conversation and, you know, given that my research is in autism that might be a signal that I might be a safe person,” she continued. “That [process of disclosure] has always been just a conversation about ‘this is, you know, my diagnosis or part of my identity.’”
Kai Punt, the education coordinator for the Society for Students with a Disability (SSD), said that the best way autistic students can communicate with their fellow non-autistic students is by being yourself, and not masking so much.
“I think through being ourselves, and just openly communicating with other students is really important. Oftentimes, this can mean sharing your diagnosis with others.… I found when I’m open about my autism diagnosis, I’m met with more understanding, and often people will be more accommodating when I do require more support.”
Punt also mentioned the autism peer support group run by SSD over the summer, that both autistic students and non-autistic students could join. The SSD’s list of peer support groups for 2026–2027 will be announced in October 2026.
“We have a variety of events and workshops that kind of build community around it for disabled students [and] autistic students, and also educate the community and students about disability,” said Punt.
The SSD also provides peer support groups for students with autism, chronic pain, ADHD, and more based on what’s available.
“We also do individual advocacy for any student who is facing barriers to their education. So like accessibility barriers. So, if they need help navigating CAL, or if they want support with talking to their professor. We are happy to help with that,” they said.
