Neurodiversity
The neurodiversity paradigm is a framework for understanding human brain function that considers the diversity within sensory processing, motor abilities, social comfort, cognition, and focus as neurobiological differences.
[1] The neurodiversity paradigm argues that diversity in neurocognition is part of humanity and that some neurodivergences generally classified as disorders, such as autism, are differences with strengths and weaknesses as well as disabilities that are not necessarily pathological.
[12][13][14][15][16] In recent years, to address these concerns, some neurodiversity advocates and researchers have attempted to reconcile what they consider different seemingly contradictory but arguably partially compatible perspectives.
[3] The same year, it was published in Judy Singer's sociology honors thesis,[25][26] drawing on discussions on the independent living mailing list that included Blume.
ASAN led the Ransom Notes Campaign[42][43] to successfully remove stigmatizing disability ads posted by the NYU Child Study Center.
[44] From there, the Neurodiversity Movement continued to grow with the formation of more organizations in the early 2010s such as Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network[45] and The Thinking Person's Guide to Autism.
[46] More autistic people were appointed to federal advisory boards like Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee and National Council on Disability.
[52] In recent years, the concept of neurodiversity and many related findings have gained traction among many members of the scientific community,[53][54] who have argued that autism researchers have sometimes been too ready to interpret differences as deficits.
[57][58] Researchers and advocates are concerned about such issues and risks as most recent studies and multiple systematic reviews have indicated that higher levels of masking, passing as neurotypical, or camouflaging are generally associated with poorer mental health outcomes including depression, clinical anxiety, and suicidality among autistic people (including children, adolescents, and adults) and across various regions or cultures.
[76][70][77] In addition, quantitative evidence regarding adverse effects (e.g. in terms of trauma and reinforcement of masking) of some behavioral interventions is limited but emerging.
A prevalent criticism is that autistic people with higher support needs would continue to have challenges even if society was fully accommodating and accepting of them.
Some critics of the neurodiversity paradigm, such as family members that are responsible for the care of such an autistic individual, think it might lead to overlooking or downplaying these challenges.
[111][112][113][114][115] According to Kassiane Asasumasu, who coined the terms in the year 2000, neurodivergent/neurodivergence refers to those "whose neurocognitive functioning diverges from dominant societal norms in multiple ways".
This term provided activists a way to advocate for increased rights and accessibility for non-autistic people who do not have a neurocognitive functioning that is considered typical.
[143] An increasing number of studies in the 2010s and 2020s found support for double empathy theory and related concepts such as bidirectional social interaction.
For example, testimonies from autistic individuals report that avoiding eye contact serves an important function of helping them to concentrate during conversation, and should not be interpreted as expressing social disinterest.
[157] Neurodiversity advocates and organizations like the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) do not agree with using medical interventions as a way to remove neurodevelopmental differences that are fundamentally linked to the personality and perception of the world, such as autism.
Other forms of interventions may cause them to feel as though they are being coerced or forced to adapt to social norms, or to conform to a behavioral standard or clinical ideal.
[165] Neurodiversity advocate John Elder Robison argues that the disabilities and strengths conferred by neurological differences may be mutually inseparable.
[9] The typical curriculum and format of higher education may pose as a challenge for neurodivergent students, and a lack of support and flexibility from staff may further complicate the university experience.
[167] Another consideration is the implementation of a universal design approach (UDL) when building learning spaces or communal areas that considers the needs of neurodivergent students.
[105] The recent addition of text-based options on various social media sites allows disabled users to communicate, enjoy, and share at a more accessible rate.
[183] The spread of information through social media exposure can assist the neurodiversity movement in educating the public about understanding disabilities such as autism and sifting out misinformation.
[185] Generally, self-diagnosis is discouraged in psychiatry because it is thought to be wrong more often than a professional assessment and because it is said that it trivializes challenges by turning them into fashion labels.
[185] Robert Chapman, in contrast, questions the reliability of professional autism assessments as they often overlook the experiences of individuals who are not white cisgender male children and states that self-identification is not done for fashion purposes but because it helps understanding one's strengths and challenges.
[189][190] Non-disabled users assessing the authenticity of neurodivergent individuals based on stereotypes indicates that the neurodiversity movement has not achieved its goal of inclusion.
[193] One example of the push toward this is the Stanford Neurodiversity Project, in which one of their goals is to discover the strengths of neurodivergent individuals and make use of their talents to increase innovation and productivity of their society, such as working in the field of healthcare and medicine.
[69] In addition to support from neurodiversity advocates for affirming therapies, concerns have been raised about the role of certain approaches such as applied behavior analysis.
[200] While a large body of research on the role of ABA seems to support its efficacy in cognitive and behavioral outcomes, a meta-analysis by Sandbank et al. challenges the evidence.
In addition to advocates from within the neurodivergent community, some behavioral analysts have begun to reconsider the role of these therapies with the context of a neurodiversity framework.
