Head Shot
Author: Sabrina Williams | Major: Public Health | Semester: Spring 2025
My name is Sabrina Williams, and I am an honors student majoring in Public Health at the University of Arkansas, College of Education and Health Professions. I expect to graduate in 2026, and I’m currently conducting research for my honors thesis, “Perceived Stigmatization of Mental Health Problems and Utilization of Academic Accommodations Among College Students,” under the mentorship of Dr. Robert Davis.
My current research focuses on the perceived stigma surrounding mental health conditions and how it influences the utilization of academic accommodations among college students. This topic is particularly relevant as more and more students are reporting mental health concerns each semester, yet many still hesitate to access free services designed to support them academically. By identifying the stigma-related barriers, my research aims to inform strategies that institutions such as the University of Arkansas can adopt to promote more equitable access to accommodations. My research aims to improve overall student well-being, an impact that could spread beyond our campus alone.
My research topic stems from my lived experience in academic and healthcare settings. I have witnessed how stigma can shape someone’s decision to seek care. I chose to focus on mental health and accommodation usage after learning about underutilized disability services by students with invisible disabilities, like ADHD or depression. I wanted to understand why. I connected with my faculty mentor, Dr. Robert Davis, after contacting him to join his lab, which focuses on stigma. He has given me many new and exciting opportunities within his lab, inspiring me to conduct my own research.
After learning more from the literature on this topic, I realized how systematic the problem is. The Healthy Minds Study (UCLA, 2022) and others show a clear pattern: students are much more likely to seek informal support, such as talking with friends, peers, or religious leaders, than to access formal services when they perceive mental health stigma on campus. I have also learned that stigma does not just come from peers; it can also come from faculty attitudes when often they do not even realize they are expressing it.
One challenge I faced was narrowing down my topic. I began with a broad interest in student mental health but soon realized I needed to focus on a specific intersection: mental health stigma. Another challenge was finding and accessing credible sources and obtaining faculty perspectives. I overcame this by consulting with my mentor regularly and using the University of Arkansas library resources to access information. Williams 3 My mentor has been instrumental in this project. Dr. Davis has guided me through Institutional Review Board (IRB) procedures, helped me formulate practical survey questions, and encouraged me to contact university offices for support. Other faculty members have also provided me feedback on drafts. I have been fortunate to discuss my ideas with graduate students within my lab who have used services themselves or are involved in advocacy work.
Next, I will conduct my prepared survey of students at the University of Arkansas to understand better their perceptions of campus climate, stigma, and accommodation services. As well as brief faculty interviews to explore attitudes toward supporting students with ADHD and other cognitive disabilities. This research will form the basis of my honors thesis and hopefully lead to a published article. This project will continue to inspire my goals as an aspiring physician in the future. I aspire to be a healthcare provider who treats patients and advocates for systematic changes. Whether in graduate school or in future public health work, I will carry these lessons about stigma, equity, and compassion forward.