Doctoral Dissertation Research

Date: June 13, 2026

 Hello. I am a doctoral student under the direction of Professor Dr. Loraine Fernandez in the College of Doctoral Studies at Grand Canyon University. My name is Leeza Romo. I am conducting a research study to examine how race, age, gender, and social inclusion rating predict the severity of camouflaging behaviors among self-reporting, as being diagnosed by a medical professional, autistic undergraduate students in the United States. First, participants will complete a demographics questionnaire, which will detail their exact age, gender, and race. Next, participants will be asked to complete the Experiences of Social Inclusion Scale, which assesses their individual experiences of belonging in society. Finally, participants will complete the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire, which will examine the severity of masking behaviors among participants.

 

INCLUSION- I am recruiting individuals that meet these criteria:

·      A full-time undergraduate student in the United States.

·      Attend more than half of the undergraduate classes in person.

·      Have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder by a medical professional.

·      At least 18 years old.

 

EXCLUSION- You cannot be in this study if:

 ·      Have not been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder by a medical professional.

·      Do not meet your school’s definition of a full-time student.

·      More than half of your classes are taken virtually.

 

The ACTIVITIES for this research project will include:

·      Complete a demographics questionnaire that asks you about your age, gender, and race (2-3 minutes)

·      Complete the 10-item Experiences of Social Inclusion Questionnaire, asking about your experiences of inclusion in social settings (3-5 minutes).

·      Complete the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire that asks about your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in social settings (15-20 minutes)

 

Your participation in this study is voluntary.

 

The data collected will be stored on the password-protected computer owned by me. Additionally, the data collected will be stored on a password-protected USB drive owned by me and will be accessible only to myself, my dissertation chair, the dissertation committee, and all College of Doctoral Studies Reviewers. Artificial intelligence (AI) software for processing data collected from this study, including that only de-identified data will be used. 

 

 Link to Survey/Questionnaire

If interested, please click on the link to enter the survey/questionnaire:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZR6X5ZS

 

If you have questions about this study or are interested in participating, please contact me at Lromo2@my.gcu.edu for more information and next steps.

 

Thank you!

Leeza Romo
IRB Approval # IRB-2026-8704