Measuring Disability Co-Occurrence among Students at 4-Year Institutions

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Measuring Disability Co-Occurrence among Students at 4-Year Institutions
Language: English
Authors: John Zilvinskis
Source: Journal of College Student Development. 2026 67(1):121-125.
Availability: Johns Hopkins University Press. 2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Tel: 800-548-1784; Tel: 410-516-6987; Fax: 410-516-6968; e-mail: jlorder@jhupress.jhu.edu; Web site: https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/list
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 5
Publication Date: 2026
Intended Audience: Researchers
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: College Students, Students with Disabilities, Multiple Disabilities, Comorbidity, College Freshmen, Learner Engagement, National Surveys, College Seniors, Student Surveys, Civil Rights Legislation, Federal Legislation, Disabilities, Data Use
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Americans with Disabilities Act 1990
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: National Survey of Student Engagement
DOI: 10.1353/csd.2026.a984836
ISSN: 0897-5264
1543-3382
Abstract: In 2021, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) updated its survey items measuring disability, with the second survey item now asking respondents about 15 categories of disability. With so many disability categories, making sense of disability co-occurrence (i.e., when a respondent selects more than one disability) can be difficult. This study leverages two years of NSSE administration to map disability co-occurrence and explore what the frequencies, correlations, and clusters of disability co-occurrence are and to what degree these clusters provide practical differences among the engagement measures found on the NSSE. The findings provide a guide for higher education researchers on how to treat disability co-occurrence data among students at four-year institutions.
Abstractor: ERIC
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506713
Database: ERIC
Description
Abstract:In 2021, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) updated its survey items measuring disability, with the second survey item now asking respondents about 15 categories of disability. With so many disability categories, making sense of disability co-occurrence (i.e., when a respondent selects more than one disability) can be difficult. This study leverages two years of NSSE administration to map disability co-occurrence and explore what the frequencies, correlations, and clusters of disability co-occurrence are and to what degree these clusters provide practical differences among the engagement measures found on the NSSE. The findings provide a guide for higher education researchers on how to treat disability co-occurrence data among students at four-year institutions.
ISSN:0897-5264
1543-3382
DOI:10.1353/csd.2026.a984836