Based on a qualitative study conducted at a public university in Mexico, this presentation explores how faculty beliefs and expectations shape the emotional environment of the classroom. The inclusion of students with disabilities and neurodivergence in higher education is often approached through technical adjustments, frequently overlooking the psychological impact on educational actors. This paper analyzes how the lack of comprehensive training and institutional support networks translates into psychosocial stressors for faculty, such as feelings of incompetence, frustration, anxiety, and learned helplessness. These emotional states arise when educators face a diverse student body they have not been trained to support, turning the classroom into a space of tension rather than learning.

Furthermore, it examines how beliefs and prejudices—within their psychological dimension—affect the emotional well-being of students with disabilities, the quality of the pedagogical bond, and academic achievement. Attitudinal barriers, often invisible, operate as microaggressions that undermine student self-perception, triggering processes of subjective exclusion that impact their mental health. The relationship between faculty expectations (the Pygmalion effect) and academic persistence is examined, highlighting that a stigmatizing attitude can be as disabling as the lack of physical accessibility.

Finally, we propose that inclusion be viewed not only as a matter of rights within the educational field but as a determinant of collective mental health at the university. This research suggests that successful inclusive education depends on building an ecology of well-being. This requires moving beyond individual "goodwill" toward emotional support policies, peer mentoring, and the strengthening of institutional resilience, thereby ensuring university environments that promote the mental health of both faculty and students.

Virginia Rodríguez Pineda is a university professor and clinical psychologist with over three decades of experience in academic and therapeutic settings. She specializes in Gestalt therapy and holds a master’s degree in Psychology with a focus on addictions. Throughout her career, she has combined teaching, research, and clinical practice, contributing to the professional development of psychology students and the promotion of mental health.

Her work emphasizes inclusion, particularly in supporting students with disabilities within higher education. She has led and collaborated on academic initiatives, research projects, and conferences focused on psychosocial well-being, resilience, and equitable access to education.. Known for her commitment, leadership, and human-centered approach, she fosters critical thinking and ethical practice in her students. Her academic perspective integrates theory and practice, encouraging meaningful learning experiences and social impact through psychology.