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Twice-Exceptional College Students Identified Sa Gifted and Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Comparative Case Study Connie J

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University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Individual, Family, and Community Education Education ETDs ETDs Fall 11-15-2017 Twice-Exceptional College Students Identified sa Gifted and Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Case Study Connie J. Tagtmeyer University of New Mexico Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_ifce_etds Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Tagtmeyer, Connie J.. "Twice-Exceptional College Students Identified as Gifted and Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comparative Case Study." (2017). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/educ_ifce_etds/62 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Education ETDs at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Individual, Family, and Community Education ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Connie J. Tagtmeyer Candidate Individual, Family, and Community Education Department This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Committee: Deborah Rifenbary, Ed.D., Chairperson Loretta A. Serna, Ph.D. Kristopher M. Goodrich, Ph.D. Donald L. Thompson, Ed.D. TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY By CONNIE J. TAGTMEYER B.A. English, University of Hawai`i at Hilo, 1985 M. Ed., Counseling and Guidance, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, 1993 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counseling The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico December, 2017 Dedication In loving memory of my parents, Virginia Lee and Melvin “Pete” Tagtmeyer who never had the opportunity to attend college, celebrated all the milestones of my life, and are forever in my heart – this one’s for you! iii Acknowledgements I want to thank the chair of my dissertation committee, Dr. Deborah Rifenbary, Associate Dean of College of Education for her support in helping me complete this research study. By offering to step in during the middle of this process she lifted me up when I was floundering and continually supported me both academically with critical reviews of my writing and emotionally when I was overwhelmed. To my dissertation committee I am greatly appreciative of your time and assistance. Thank you, Dr. Loretta Serna for inspiring me and introducing me to the field of special education. I am deeply grateful for Dr. Kris Goodrich’s support in the methodology for my study and for his insightful feedback. Thank you, Dr. Thompson for mentoring me into the field of higher education and providing opportunities and experiences in publishing, national presentations, and over thirty years of encouragement to complete my doctorate. I also want to thank Dr. Elizabeth Nielsen who introduced me to my work with twice- exceptional college students who were diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Without her encouragement, I would not be in this field of study. I am grateful for my first advisor and committee chairperson, Dr. David Olguin. He provided experiences for me as a teaching assistant, co-author, positions of leadership in national and state professional organizations, and as a clinical supervisor. Regretfully I cannot acknowledge them by name, however I will always be indebted to the college students identified as gifted and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (GTASD) that allowed me to support them in their journey through college as their advocate, advisor, counselor, or researcher. I wish to thank them for their courage, honesty, and iv empathy. By sharing their stories with me and allowing me to be a part of their college journey, they enhanced my life and touched my heart. My family and friends supported me in countless ways along my path. I would like to thank Noranne Clayton for providing me an opportunity to stop working and focus on writing my dissertation during the final stretch. So many friends helped me along the way. I am thankful for Jim and Jill Mocho who fed me, housed me, and always kept me focused on my goal. Thanks go to Dr. Geof Palmer, my friend throughout my doctoral studies who endured endless nights studying statistics with me and introduced me to the Global Awareness International Society where we co-presented. Thanks go to my dear friend, Paula Garcia, who I first met in a multicultural family studies course, and who provided a peaceful place for me to write. I cannot thank my friend, Helen Tafoya, enough for her endless support as a peer reviewer, editor, and at times, a counselor throughout this long arduous journey through academia. Thanks go to my long-time friends, Dr. Ann Miser and Dr. Keith Miser, from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo who housed me, fed me, and financially supported my research over the years. Thank you for challenging my thinking, methods, and at times, my lack of time management. Your research expertise and continued support help make this a reality. No acknowledgement would be completing without my heartfelt thanks to my family: my daughter, Tiana Crabbe and my son, Lt. Col. Keegan Maple who have watched their mother study, work, or write for their entire life as she earned a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and finally a doctoral degree. I hope that I can be an example for you and your families that “you can have it all” – but it might not be the way you imagined it, and that’s alright. v TWICE-EXCEPTIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED AS GIFTED AND DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: A COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY by CONNIE J. TAGTMEYER B.A., English, University of Hawai`i at Hilo, 1985 M. Ed., Counseling and Guidance, University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, 1993 Ph.D., Counseling, University of New Mexico, 2017 ABSTRACT This comparative case study investigated the college experiences of twice-exceptional college students identified as gifted and diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (GTASD). Increasing numbers of students with ASD are entering universities (NCES, 2008; Shattuck et al., 2012) making the identification of supports for their academic success imperative. However, little is known about their college experiences and their challenges in transitioning to higher education settings. This study examined the college experience from the perspective of the GTASD college student. Based on ecological systems theory, five cases were designed that included ten participants. Each of the five cases contained one GTASD college student and their respective advocate. Data was collected from multiple sources (twenty-five interviews of students and advocates, student generated photographs, and an online demographic and educational experiences surveys) and analyzed from a grounded theory perspective. Findings from this study indicated that accurate diagnosis of autism and early identification of giftedness is needed to determine individual differences and provide vi the social and emotional skills necessary for the successful college experiences of the GTASD college student. Information learned from this study may directly help students, inform support systems (counselors, parents or guardians, college personnel), improve transitional services, and highlight relevant counseling needs. Keywords: Twice-exceptional, gifted, autism spectrum disorder, counseling, college vii Table of Contents List of Figures ....................................................................................................................... xiii List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ xiv Chapter 1 Introduction........................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................... 2 Rationale ....................................................................................................................... 2 Significance of the Study .............................................................................................. 5 Research Questions ....................................................................................................... 5 Limitations and Delimitations ....................................................................................... 6 Historical Context of the Study..................................................................................... 7 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) .................................................................... 8 Giftedness ....................................................................................................... 10 Twice-Exceptionality (2e) .............................................................................. 11 Conclusion .................................................................................................................. 12 Chapter 2 Literature Review ............................................................................................... 13 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 13 Theoretical Frameworks ............................................................................................. 13 Ecological Systems Theory............................................................................. 13
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