Project Director

Warren, Amye

Department Examiner

Huber, Thomas; Black, Kristen Jennings, 1991-

Department

Dept. of Psychology

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), and ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) are neurotypes that impact every aspect of life, including daily activities and socialization, which is why they have been shown in prior studies to negatively impact life satisfaction. This study compared the levels of life satisfaction now and before the COVID-19 pandemic in young adults (n = 324) with typical neurotypes, those with only ASD (autism), with only OCD, with only ADHD, with two of the neurotypes, and with all three neurotypes. Contrary to predictions from prior research, life satisfaction did not decrease after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic; all neurotypes had increased or the same life satisfaction now. The hypothesis that each neurotype would have different levels of life satisfaction was supported; OCD, ADHD, and ASD symptoms each have unique negative impacts on life satisfaction. In this sample, OCD, ADHD, and ASD symptoms accounted for approximately 15% of the variation in life satisfaction, with autism having the greatest impact.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank my thesis director, Dr. Amye Warren, for her patient guidance and dedication that allowed me to carry out every step of this project over this past year; this thesis would not have been possible without her expertise and advice. I would also like to thank Kevin Fox and Dave Buck with the Chattanooga Autism Center, who greatly aided in the recruitment of participants with ASD for this survey. I would also like to thank Akera Williams for her help in creating the survey, and Dr. Kristen Black for her assistance with the statistical analyses and for her time as a committee member. Also, I would like to thank Dr. Thomas Huber for being a committee member and for his guidance in interpreting the results of this study. Lastly, I would like to thank my family for all of their encouragement and support along the way.

IRB Number

#22-030

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

12-2022

Subject

Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; Autism spectrum disorders

Keyword

Autism; OCD; ADHD; life satisfaction; neurotype; young adults

Discipline

Clinical Psychology

Document Type

Theses

Extent

73 leaves.

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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