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We argue for combining Participatory Research and Open Scholarship practices as an essential way to advance neurodiversity research. This combination can have manifold benefits: it can strengthen the relationship between members of the public and scientific communities, empower neurodivergent people, and ensure current research is meaningful and impactful to their lives. Eventually, combining participatory and Open Scholarship practices can be a pathway to more open, robust, diverse, and inclusive science.

OBJECTIVE This article describes the use of community-based participatory research (CBPR) to foster bidirectional and equitable academic-community partnerships in two studies related to interpersonal violence and disability. METHOD We analyzed our methods and experiences in conducting these studies to focus on the ways in which CBPR methodology was used to jointly promote and enhance research and advocacy surrounding violence and disability in the research processes themselves and the resulting assessment and intervention products. RESULTS Our use of CBPR methodology allowed us to identify and address critical issues related to violence in the disability community, such as disability-related forms and experiences of violence, concerns and barriers linked to mandated reporting laws, and inaccessible measures and interventions, and to address them in research products. Additionally, our bidirectional academic-community partnerships led us to address overall accessibility of the research process itself as a means by which to amplify advocate voices in science. CONCLUSIONS Full, meaningful, and equitable participation of people with disabilities at every stage of the research process allows for the creation of partnerships that jointly advance research and advocacy around violence and disability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

In this digital graphic novel, a neurodivergent teenager’s underwater journey through Monterey Submarine Canyon reveals that sensory differences are powerful adaptations, exploring how her sensitivities to light, noise, and touch correspond to deep sea conditions such as darkness, quiet, and pressure. The graphic novel is hosted online as a website, which also includes a fully narrated, sound mixed, and captioned video version of the underwater journey.See media created for this project here:https://swimdown.neocities.org/

L’orizzonte neuroscientifico corrobora le Scienze dell’Educazione compor-tando un reale ripensamento dei processi di insegnamento e apprendimento in favore di percorsi educativi di qualità. Sondando il carattere dialogico della Neuroeducazione si riportano alcune evidenze neuroscientifiche che affermano l’unicità di ogni cervello; si analizzano le ricadute neuropedagogiche per poi volgere lo sguardo ad un’indagine svolta con un gruppo di 1428 insegnanti della regione Sicilia per analizzare le loro prassi educativo-didattiche fondate nell’orizzonte neuroeducativo. Il processo di analisi ha evidenziato alcuni dati significativi che lasciano intendere una necessaria opera di formazione in fa-vore dei principi neuroeducativi. The neuroscientific horizon corroborates the Educational Sciences by involving a real rethinking of teaching and learning processes in favor of quality educational paths. By probing the dialogic character of Neuroeducation, some neuroscientific evidence is reported that affirm the uniqueness of each brain; the neuropedagogical repercussions are analyzed and then turned to a survey carried out with a group of 1428 teachers from the Sicily region to analyze their educational and didactic practices based on the neuroeducational horizon. The analysis process highlighted some significant data that suggest a necessary training work in favor of neuroeducational principles.

Young people who are currently or were previously in state care have consistently been found to have much higher rates of mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties than the general youth population. While a number of high-quality reviews highlight what research has been undertaken in relation to the mental health of young people with care experience and the gaps in our knowledge and understanding, there is, until now, no consensus, so far as we aware, as to where our collective research efforts should be directed with this important group. Through a series of UK wide workshops, we undertook a consultative process to identify an agreed research agenda between those with lived experience of being in care (n = 15), practitioners, policy makers and researchers (n = 59), for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience, including those who are neurodiverse/have a neurodevelopmental difficulty. This consensus statement identified 21 foci within four broad categories: how we conceptualize mental health; under-studied populations; under-studied topics; and underused methodologies. We hope that those who commission, fund and undertake research will engage in this discussion about the future agenda for research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience.

Autism has typically been framed as inherently harmful and at odds with both subjective happiness and objective flourishing. In recent decades, however, the view of autism as inherently harmful has been challenged by neurodiversity proponents, who draw on social and relational models of disability to reframe the harm autistic people face as arising out of the interaction between being autistic and disabling environments. Here we build on the neurodiversity perspective by arguing that autistic thriving has been rendered both invisible and unthinkable by interlocking forms of testimonial and hermeneutical injustice. On the view we propose, rather than autism being at odds with the possibility of living a good life as such, We argue that our mainstream conceptions of the good life have excluded autistic manifestations of happiness and flourishing. This leads to an epistemic catch-22-like paradoxical situation whereby one can be recognised as autistic or as thriving, but not both. We then propose four ameliorative strategies that support moving towards broader conceptions of the good human life which will allow us to recognise not just autistic, but also other neurodivergent ways, of living a good human life.

Many children on the autism spectrum are capable of learning large amounts of material in specific areas – yet, they often show learning delays across multiple domains. Additionally, they typically show the ability and motivation to learn from practice and from the outcomes of their own actions, while having difficulties learning from novel situations and from others’ actions and communications. We propose that these and other phenomena reflect, in part, an atypical balance between cognitive assimilation and accommodation processes during early childhood. Adopting a constructivist perspective that connects Piaget’s heuristics with experimental and clinical research in autism, we examine empirical supports as well as implications of this notion for autism research, advocacy, and intervention.

Approximately 15% (1 in 7) of working-age people in the UK are neurodivergent. Despite their high prevalence in the general population, only about 60-70% of neurodiverse people are estimated to actively participate in the workforce. The reasons for the underrepresentation of neurodiverse people in the workplace are complex, encompassing a wide range of individual, social, and organisational factors. Among these factors, mental health issues among neurodiverse individuals (e.g., severe social anxiety) are frequently attributed as a primary cause. However, in many cases societal stigmas and limited awareness surrounding neurodiversity, as well as a failure to provide reasonable workplace adjustments, deter neurodiverse individuals from entering the workforce more than any other factor. Despite these challenges, The University of Cambridge ThinkLab’s research collaboration with the BBC shows that many of these external barriers can be overcome by implementing reasonable adjustments and inclusive hiring, onboarding, and mentoring practices in workplaces. This interactive report is the result of this 10-month research collaboration and draws upon academic literature, online testimonials, news, and interviews with neurodiverse BBC employees. The report makes numerous recommendations for workplace adjustments and aims to spark a large-scale public discussion about how to improve the workplace experience of neurodivergent individuals.

This project aims to provide detailed insight into neurodivergent (e.g., ADHD, dyslexic, autistic) young people’s (YP) perceptions of the representation of neurodivergent YP in narrative fiction (and other text types) and carry out a comprehensive review of the availability of literature featuring neurodivergent young people.

The dominant discourse surrounding neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD emphasizes biological explanations. Neurodevelopmental conditions are conceived as different types of brains, the result of different types of genes. This way of thinking is present both in medical research and in clinical practice. Indeed, it is widely acknowledged that the idea of having a biological diagnosis helps people see beyond blame and guilt. It aids acceptance. However, simplistic approaches to biology risks neglecting the experiences and stories of autistic people in favor of finding etiological causes. At the same time, there is growing awareness that risks, functioning, and resilience are not solely defined by genes and brains but have a cultural and experiential component as well. Furthermore, atypical cognitive trajectories are not straightforwardly associated with poor outcomes. In this paper we describe the concept of developmental diversity as an alternative to more categorical approaches to neurodevelopmental conditions. We explore how dynamic models of life offer possibilities to look at neurodevelopmental conditions differently: rather than seeing autistic people as people with fundamental flaws in their genes or software faults in their brains that have to be explained, autism appears as a phenomenon that exists in interaction with the context, as a meaningful reaction to the environment. We explore what it would mean for research to go from a diagnosis-based approach to a developmental diversity approach that will define wellbeing and functioning in a more granular way across developmental trajectories. We argue that this would mean incorporating lived experiences into biological research and going beyond genes-environment dichotomies. Next to yielding a more complete picture on the phenomenon of autism, we describe how an approach that takes developmental diversity as a starting point offers a new way to look at existing challenges of autism research, such as how to deal with the significant overlap between diagnosis. Our hypothesis is that thinking with developmental diversity rather than categorical difference both represents an opportunity for a more inclusive society, and fundamentally can alter the way we perform research. As such, it is in line with requests of neurodiversity and disability movements. ispartof: FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY vol:13 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Activities of daily living (ADLs) are activities that people engage in on a routine basis, such as brushing their teeth, preparing a meal, and caring for their child. Independence with ADLs is associated with better outcomes in independent living, education, employment, relationships, and mental health. Therefore, this perspective piece includes a review of the literature and assessment databases to identify and summarize ADL assessments for Autistic adults. These assessments were compared and analyzed using the neurodiversity paradigm. Specifically, we compared assessments using predetermined priorities the authors identified: (1) assessment type, (2) inclusivity, and (3) performance factors. We identified five unique norm-referenced measures, four performance-based measures, and a variety of checklists, surveys, questionnaires, and/or interviews used to assess ADL performance among Autistic adults. The authors present their perspectives regarding the challenges with the current assessments, including the high-frequency use of norm-referenced assessments, lack of inclusivity, and failure to consider performance factors (e.g., sensory, motor, and emotional), and the paucity of assessments designed specifically for Autistic adults older than 30 years. In response to these challenges, we recommend researchers partner with Autistic adults to develop a new assessment tool. If researchers or clinicians are using existing measures, we recommend that they utilize self-report over proxy-report and include methods to improve the accessibility of the assessment. We also recommend that clinicians and researchers offer breaks, comfort objects, or sensory modifications during the assessment to decrease anxiety; and ask follow-up questions to understand whether environment or emotional health are impacting one's ADL performance. LAY SUMMARY: WHY IS THIS TOPIC IMPORTANT? Activity of daily living (ADL) assessments are used to determine what Autistics can and cannot do in their day-to-day life, what services they may be eligible for, and to monitor gains. However, we struggled to find an assessment that was useful and relevant from an Autistic point-of-view. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE? The purpose of this article was to review and evaluate current ADL assessments usefulness for Autistics and provide recommendations for improving the ADL assessment process. WHAT IS THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE AUTHORS? The first author is an Autistic social worker and the second author is an occupational therapist and postdoctoral fellow. The authors' perspective is based in the neurodiversity paradigm and social model of disability, which centers on respecting and acknowledging differences in the brain and their effects on Autistics' lives. We believe in strengths-based approaches versus deficit-based models. WHAT DID YOU FIND ABOUT THIS TOPIC? We found 17 measurement tools, some that compared Autistic ADL performance with neurotypical performance, a few that were observation-based meaning the researcher or clinician watched the Autistic person complete the ADLs, and many forms or guides that asked questions about ADL performance. Only six measures allowed Autistic people to respond to the questions themselves, whereas the rest of the measures had someone else respond for them. These measures did not include questions about how sensory differences (e.g., feeling upset by the feeling of jeans or the taste of minty toothpaste) or feeling sad or nervous may also impact ADL performance. WHAT DO THE AUTHORS RECOMMEND? We recommend that researchers partner with Autistic adults to make new ADL assessments. If researchers or clinicians are using previously made ADL assessments, we recommend that they use self-report and adapt the materials to make it easier to understand (e.g., using pictures). We also recommend that researchers and clinicians ask Autistics what they need or want to make the assessment easier and more comfortable for them. Finally, researchers and clinicians should ask follow-up questions about sensory differences and whether someone is feeling sad or nervous to know how this impacts their ability to do their ADL tasks. HOW WILL THESE RECOMMENDATIONS HELP AUTISTIC ADULTS NOW OR IN THE FUTURE? These recommendations will help Autistic adults be more involved in the evaluation process, which will make the assessments more trustworthy and relevant to Autistics. This also could help more Autistic people get services and supports that are useful to them. Finally, this may help researchers when monitoring if these supports or services actually work.

BACKGROUND: As autistic college students increase in number, it is important to identify how to best support them. Beyond the increased academic demands of higher education, many autistic young adults struggle with social interactions, time management, emotion regulation, and routine changes. Having an accurate understanding of Graduate Teaching Assistants' (GTAs') knowledge of neurodiverse learners could inform improvements to GTA training programs. METHODS: We explored GTAs' understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and any related pedagogical training. We used the Autism Awareness Survey by Tipton and Belcher and several supplemental questions to assess 92 GTAs' knowledge of ASD (65% female [n = 59], mean age = 27 years [standard deviation, SD = 4 years], 69% Caucasian [n = 62]). RESULTS: Most GTAs (n = 76; 83%) had heard of ASD, primarily from a family member (n = 51; 66%). Out of 14 questions, 61% (n = 56) of GTAs answered at least 10 accurately. Eight questions were answered correctly by more than 75% of respondents, indicating some understanding of ASD, although room for improvement remained. GTAs with an autistic family member were not more knowledgeable about ASD, nor did they report feeling better-equipped to support autistic students. The majority of GTAs (n = 89; 97%) had not received any ASD-specific pedagogical training and only 15% of GTAs felt well-equipped to teach autistic students. CONCLUSIONS: While most GTAs answered basic knowledge questions about ASD correctly, they did not feel prepared to support autistic students. Increased understanding of neurodiverse learners could help GTAs foster a more supporting and inclusive environment and improve academic and social outcomes for autistic students. Further research is needed on what specific supports autistic learners need in the college classroom, how to train GTAs on how to provide these supports, and how to measure the effectiveness of such interventions.

The aim of this scoping review is to systematically map and synthesize the existing empirical research regarding auditory-motor synchronization abilities in children with developmental coordination disorder by focusing on three timing modalities that underpin this process: auditory perceptual timing (perceptual judgment without movement), motor timing (self-paced actions), and auditory–motor timing (the timing of motor action is based on the auditory cue). We examine whether the unstable auditory-motor coupling shown by children with DCD is task-specific and whether their performance is associated with difficulties in auditory perceptual timing.

We would like to examine the test-retest reliability of our new parent-child interaction measure.

The concept of neurodiversity draws upon scientific research, and lessons from practice and lived experience to suggest new ways of thinking about neurodevelopmental conditions. Among the formative observations are that characteristics associated with neurodevelopmental conditions are part of a “broader phenotype” of variation across the whole population, and that there appear to be “trans-diagnostic” similarities as well as differences in these characteristics. These observations raise important questions that have implications for understanding diversity in neurodevelopmental conditions and in neurocognitive phenotypes across the whole population. The present work examines broader phenotypes through the use of seven widely used self-report assessments of traits associated with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, DCD/dyspraxia, tic disorders/Tourette's, cortical hyperexcitability associated with subclinical epilepsy, and also sensory sensitivities. The sample will complete outcome measures including wellbeing, generalized anxiety, and depression, with demographic and cognitive factors (nonverbal intelligence and executive functioning) as covariates. Our target sample will be a large sample from the UK population, N=1000, aged 18 or older and representative of the broader population in terms of ethnicity, gender, and age. We will use confirmatory factor analysis to test whether variation and covariation is 1) better characterized by clustering traits according to traditional diagnostic labels, or 2) trans-diagnostically according to similarities in functions, behaviors, or phenomena. This will be the largest examination to date of the factor structure of broader phenotypes relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions. It will provide critical benchmark data, and a framework approach for asking systematic questions about the structure of neurocognitive diversities seen in the whole population and in people with one or more diagnoses.

The prevalence of prosopagnosia and developmental coordination disorder/DCD in people with aphantasia.

The overarching aim of this line of research is to learn from autistic adolescents how to effectively engage neurodivergent youth in informal STEM learning opportunities that promote self-efficacy, self-determination, and self-advocacy skills that will empower them to seek out career opportunities aligned with their interests and skills. The pilot randomized trial that we are using to assess a Game Design and Employment Workshop this summer (2023) builds upon two summers of quasi-experimental assessments of prior game design workshops (in 2021 and 2022; which were each pre-registered separately before each workshop began). This pre-registration focuses on a randomized assessment of two versions of a Game Design and Employment workshop that will be conducted this summer (2023).

This registration includes a protocol for a systematic review. This review will identify the relationship between online learning, digital competence, and mental health in higher education students, analyse the differences between neurodivergent and neurotypical students, and indicate disparities in existing research to figure out whether current research is sufficient for guiding practise.

Development and validation of a new self-report measure of monotropism

There is a need to rethink functioning and the role of universities that implement inclusive education, understood as high-quality education for everybody, available at all levels of education because of the increasing number of neurodiverse people (with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other disorders classified as neurodevelopmental).. The aim of our hermeneutical work is an attempt to identify opportunities and limitations on an empirical and theoretical level for creating conditions for the inclusion of students defined as neurodiversity. The research material consists of published own and other authors' studies, and the direction of exploration is determined by the following questions: Are there theoretical and empirical premises for the claim of full inclusion in the academic education of neurodiverse students? What are the research-related limitations that constitute a barrier to the academic inclusion of neurodifferent adolescents? The theoretical background of our work is the theories of social constructivism as defined by Alfred Schűtz, Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann. The research revealed theoretical and empirical premises confirming the validity of the claim regarding the inclusion of neurodiverse students in academic education due to the intellectual potential of young people, their high self-awareness and the need to provide a growing number of neurodiverse students with conditions for maturing to self-determination in adult life. In Poland, but also in other European countries, the number of students diagnosed with an autism spectrum is not monitored at the national level. Single studies conducted in Poland indicate the similarity of the problems of this group of students with the results of explorations carried out in other countries, and include dropout during the first year of studies, difficulties in relationships with peers, a feeling of loneliness, and a low level of employment after graduation. A large number of people with autism spectrum does not study at all. One of the barriers may be the availability of higher education, which is related to the cultural and economic status. This aspect has not been taken into account in Polish and international research. There was also little dissemination of the idea of neurodiversity, which may be important for the perception of students with the autism spectrum.

This registration contains a protocol for a scoping review. The review will map neurophysiological measures of working memory used in neurodiversity research, with a focus on ADHD, ASD, and dyslexia, and to explore how working memory is investigated across those three neurodevelopmental conditions.

Neurodivergent individuals (defined as neurodevelopmental conditions and prematurity) can have poorer quality of life and reduced participation in major life areas. Most research to date has looked at the factors that place neurodivergent people at risk of poor outcomes, but not those factors that make an individual resilient to adverse effects and support them to thrive. Resilience refers to an individual’s capacity to adapt, recover and thrive in the face of adversity and risk [1, 2], and results from the interaction between an individual and their surrounding context [1, 2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) International Classification of Functioning (ICF) provides a classification system to assist in exploring resilience in developmental diversity and the factors that influence it [3]. The ICF is a biopsychosocial framework and classification system for understanding health-related functioning, conceptualizing an individual’s functioning as the bidirectional interaction between an individual, their activities and participation, their environment, and their personal factors [3]. Despite being comprehensive, the ICF comprises almost 1700 codes, making it unwieldy to use in practice and attracting criticism due to its lack of specificity [4]. For this reason, Core Sets, or sets of ICF codes most relevant to particular contexts or conditions, are developed [5]. This study will develop ICF Core Sets for resilience and risk in developmental diversity. This study is being conducted within the context of a new pan-European project and consortium, Risk and Resilience in Developmental Diversity – Mental Health (R2D2-MH). Objectives: This study will examine positive functional outcome, risk and resilience in developmental diversity, will identify the most significant and shared factors related to risk and resilience for adverse health and psychosocial outcomes in developmental diversity, and will develop ICF Core Sets for resilience in developmental diversity. The specific objectives of this project are to: 1. Examine positive functional outcomes, risk and resilience in the context of developmental diversity. 2. Identify factors important for risk and resilience in developmental diversity from a clinical, stakeholder (neurodivergent individuals and their families), and expert perspective. 3. Develop International Classification for Functioning (ICF) Core Sets (i.e., a list of functioning and contextual factors) for resilience in developmental diversity.

Despite being at an increased risk of adversity and poor life outcomes, many neurodivergent individuals (defined as individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions and those born prematurely) lead thriving lives. Resilience, a concept referring to an individual’s ability to bounce back and flourish in the face of hardship and risks [1], can provide insights into why some developmentally diverse individuals have positive outcomes. Synthesizing literature related to resilience and positive outcome in developmental diversity is necessary to develop a consolidated understanding of how risk and resilience are conceptualized in developmental diversity and can provide insights into the factors important for promoting resilience and positive outcomes. This systematic scoping review is being conducted within the context of a new pan-European project and consortium, Risk and Resilience in Developmental Diversity – Mental Health (R2D2-MH) and will contribute to the development of International Classification of Functioning Core Sets [2] for resilience and risk in developmental diversity. Aims and objectives: This systematic review aims to conceptualize risk, resilience, and positive outcome in developmental diversity and synthesize literature examining factors that promote resilience in neurodivergent populations. The specific objectives are to: 1. Examine how risk, resilience, and positive outcome are conceptualized within the context of developmental diversity. 2. Examine the methods and measures used to explore risk and resilience for adverse outcomes in developmental diversity. 3. Identify factors that have protective and promotive effects across risk contexts in developmental diversity. 4. Identify International Classification of Functioning and personal factor codes relevant to resilience and risk in developmental diversity.

Background: Many health professionals have a limited understanding of autism and little to no experience working with neurodiverse (ND) couples. Applying traditional practice without an informed approach to assist ND couples is bound to fail. Purpose: Whether limited executive functioning skills, typical of many ND people, may be overcome using technology that provides social interactions, without the extreme stressors of in-person interactions. Methodology: This article examines a new systemic framework and related practice for navigating the impact of neurodiversity in couples. A discourse analysis of data gathered from interactions with ND clients was performed and the findings are reported. Conclusions: Social norms contribute to considerable anxiety, worry, fear, and difficulties such as the inability to interpret meaning, read nonverbal communications. An individual's ability to consider others’ perspectives increases the likelihood of relational success. Digital communication platforms facilitated social interactions among those diagnosed with high functioning autism spectrum disorder. Implications: A new framework that incorporates structural plasticity- and technology-based relational tools in resources offered to aid social interactions, and more specifically, romantic relationships for ND individuals may be warranted, considering the unmet needs that exist in society.

ObjectiveTo compare rates of aggression victimization for autistic vs. non-autistic U.S. college students. Participants:n = 1,411 autistic and n = 218,430 non-autistic students from 78 colleges. Methods: We used a three-way interaction term to examine moderation of the relationship between autism and sexual, physical and emotional aggression victimization by depression and sense of belonging. Results: Autistic students were nearly twice as likely as non-autistic students to report past-year emotional victimization (44% vs. 26%, p

In this work we focus on neurodiversity, a recently defined facet of diversity. Chemical education is in its early stages of recognizing the value that neurodiversity brings to the field. After an ...

Since its initial description, the concept of autism has been firmly rooted within the conventional medical paradigm of child psychiatry. Increasingly, there have been calls from the autistic community and, more recently, nonautistic researchers, to rethink the way in which autism science is framed and conducted. Neurodiversity, where autism is seen as one form of variation within a diversity of minds, has been proposed as a potential alternative paradigm. In this review, we concentrate on three major challenges to the conventional medical paradigm - an overfocus on deficits, an emphasis on the individual as opposed to their broader context and a narrowness of perspective - each of which necessarily constrains what we can know about autism and how we are able to know it. We then outline the ways in which fundamental elements of the neurodiversity paradigm can potentially help researchers respond to the medical model's limitations. We conclude by considering the implications of a shift towards the neurodiversity paradigm for autism science.

Neurodiversity activists have advocated for the inclusion of individuals with disabilities to represent their own needs; however, youth with neurological conditions continue to be excluded from the...

This article uses the German idiom fremdschamen to discuss some of the ethical dilemmas posed by the representation of sexuality and mental disability in documentary. Fremdschamen roughly translate...

The long-term, negative physical and mental health effects of childhood adversity are well-documented in the literature, as are the mitigating effects of resilience factors. However, for those on t...

Множественность и противоречивость трактовок аутизма обусловлена как ситуацией недостаточной изученности аутизма и высокой неопределенности, вариативности определяющих его факторов, так и тенденцией последних лет, связанной с процессами демедикализации и роста интердискурсивности расстройств аутистического спектра (РАС). Проблематика РАС затрагивает не только вопросы здравоохранения, но и охватывает практики и дискурсы психологии, педагогики, права, политики, масс-медиа и социальной сферы. Проникновение во все сектора общественного пространства сопровождается перераспределением акцентов и ростом вариативности смыслов РАС: на фоне прежде доминирующего нарратива, определяющего аутизм как болезнь / патологию, формируются нарративы, ассоциирующие его с нетипичным состоянием, а также радикальные контрнарративы, характеризующие РАС как альтернативный путь нейроразвития. Последние формируют идеологическую базу движения за нейроразнообразие. Статья посвящена изучению социальных характеристик РАС в России, связанных с противоречивостью эпидемиологических оценок и противоречивым полем интерпретации РАС в профессиональных сообществах в аспекте диагностики и статистики. Исследование основано на методах анализа документов и полуструктурированных интервью с экспертами по проблеме и родителями детей с РАС, а также анкетном опросе врачей. В России растет распространенность РАС, однако цифры статистики в десятки раз ниже общемировых. В работе характеризуется процесс социального конструирования статистики и факторы на него влияющие, в частности, изменение классификаций, повышение доступности медицинских сервисов, врачебный тезаурус, страхи стигматизации и ряд др. В последние годы в России происходят качественные изменения в институциальных структурах, призванных содействовать поддержке людей с РАС как на государственном уровне, так и в сфере гражданского общества. Однако остается много базовых проблем, в том числе в среде профессионалов, связанных с отсутствием четкой системы диагностики РАС в раннем возрасте, что существенно затрудняет предоставление ранней помощи и сопровождения.

Recently, bioethicists and the UNCRPD have advocated for supported medical decision-making on behalf of patients with intellectual disabilities. But what does supported decision-making really entail? One compelling framework is Anita Silvers and Leslie Francis' mental prosthesis account, which envisions supported decision-making as a process in which trustees act as mere appendages for the patient's will; the trustee provides the cognitive tools the patient requires to realize her conception of her own good. We argue that supported decision-making would be better understood as a collaborative process, giving patients with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to make decisions in a respectful relationship with trusted others. We offer an alternative account of supported decision-making where the primary constraint is to protect the patient from

Many more autistic women than men do not receive diagnosis in childhood. In addition, they are often socialised from an early age to conceal or ‘camouflage’ their differences in order to fit in. Ge...

Autistic people have historically been described as incapable of developing a deeper sense of self-awareness, and autistic understandings of self-awareness have been largely disregarded. The aim of this study is to explore the way young autistic adults try to understand their functionality and who they are, or to develop their sense of self-awareness, in work and in private life contexts. In 12 qualitative interviews conducted with four autistic adults without learning difficulties, we identified a rich set of reflections on knowing and accepting oneself. The overarching theme of self-knowledge has three subthemes: learning from previous experiences, learning about oneself by securing the support of others, and understanding and accepting autistic functionality. The strategy of self-knowledge was used by these young adults to help them achieve functional lives in the work and private domains. Our results show that young autistic adults both actively explore and develop their self-awareness. We suggest that it is important for practitioners and employers working with autistic individuals to engage with their journeys of self-awareness as a vital part of understanding and supporting them. Lay abstract When researchers and professionals talk about autism, they commonly point out problems and risks with autism or being autistic. Several interventions are based on the idea of the problems and risks of autism. Another way of talking about autism is to point out autistic people’s strengths and strategies which they use to handle barriers and problems in their lives in order to live good lives on their own terms. In this article, the researchers explore how autistic young adults formulate their own difficulties, strengths and support needs in order to get right support from support people. To be able to formulate this, autistic people need to get to know oneself and one’s own way of functioning. Autistic own self-knowledge must be central when formal support people, such as social workers, formulate support and interventions aimed at helping autistic people, in order for the support/intervention to be helpful.

This paper is a thought-experiment into the question, “How might we participate in the writing of this paper together?” Having been both inspired and moved by Erin Manning´s beautiful chapter “Me Lo Dijo un Pajarito: Neurodiversity, Black Life and the University as we Know It’ (2020) we pick up the baton of moving thinking into how we can begin to work together to contribute to the reconceptualization of educational and research practices and specifically through practices of inclusion and participation within them. We do this with the starting point of our own participation in the writing of this paper. We follow the faint line of two emerging techniques. The first technique, in:tuition, emerges to help make operational a practice of participation that engages participants, students, us, on the register of the preindividual. The second technique, intimating, works towards a notion of transindividual participation. We offer an immanent and processual approach to practice, involving a ‘(r)eaching toward one another, (in which) our individuations qualitatively alter our “individuality.” With Manning, we work with ‘thinking-feeling (as) the transversality of all planes of experience in the immanent twist’ with the desire of twisting into new and socially just practices.

The current epistemology of autism as a phenotype derives from the consistency of historical accounts and decades of work within the tradition of descriptive epidemiology, culminating in current categorical descriptions within DSM and ICD nosologies and the concept of “prototypical autism.” The demonstrated high heritability of this phenotype has led to an essentialist theory of autism as a biological entity and the concerted search within the developmental brain and genetic science for discrete biological markers. This search has not revealed simple markers explaining autistic outcomes and has led to moves towards a more dimensional account. This article proposes an alternative transactional approach. It proposes to understand autistic states as an emergent property within a complex developmental system; as the neurodivergent brain, and mind and body, encounter their social and physical environment within early development. Key evidence in support of this approach comes from random allocation intervention trials based on such transactional development theory, both in the infancy pre-diagnostic prodrome and the early post-diagnostic period. In replicated evidence, these intervention trials show that a targeted alteration in the quality of social transactional environment available for the child leads to significant, predictable, and sustained alterations in the outcome dimensional autistic phenotype over time; and further, in one prodromal trial, to a significant reduction in later categorical classification status. The inference from this evidence is that the prototypical autistic phenotype is to a degree malleable with a changed experienced social environment and that it is emergent from its constituent traits. Such a transactional approach enlarges our notion of the phenotype and brings the study of autism within mainstream individual difference developmental science. It challenges essentialist views, for instance as to intrinsic autistic “social avoidance” or theory of mind empathy deficits, integrates dimensional and categorical perspectives, and is consistent with the lived experience of autistic people and their advocacy for improved understanding within a social model.

As part of developing and researching a virtual reality (VR) game intended to increase access to and broaden participation in STEM learning, designers and researchers from EdGE at TERC and interns from Landmark College, a post-secondary institute for learners with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other learning differences, have been immersed in an intensive co-design process. Co-design embraces the ‘nothing about us without us’ movement by ensuring stakeholder voices, in this case neurodiverse learners, have a prominent role throughout the design process. We present our co-design process, key lessons learned, important game-design decisions, and the experiences and perspectives of individual co-design participants. And recommendations are provided to help guide others who are interested in implementing a co-design process of their own.

The popular, award-winning game Zoombinis has been around since the 90s, with an updated version launched in 2015 for new devices. Since that relaunch, research has been conducted on the effectiveness of the game and related bridging activities for the teaching and learning of computational thinking (Asbell-Clarke et al, 2021; Rowe et al, 2021b; Almeda et al, 2019). Recently, efforts have been made to design and test executive function (EF) scaffolds that surround puzzles from the game, permitting learners who may have EF challenges, such as issues with working memory, attention, and metacognition, to demonstrate their skills with computational thinking (CT), a logical approach to problem solving which can be applied to any problem, task, or system. On this poster, we present the Zoombinis scaffolds, the intent of their design, and the results of their use with teachers and students, grades 3-8, as part of a larger CT-education project.

As integral characteristics for neurotypical development, the developmental timeline for the degree and direction of specialization may act as indicators for neurodevelopmental disruptions. For example, differences in the functional organization of language may contribute directly to language impairment (Stefanatos & Baron, 2011). Additionally, one well-replicated finding is that of reduced cerebral lateralization in autistic individuals during speech and language (Eyler et al., 2012; Herbert et al., 2002; Herringshaw et al., 2016; Kleinhans et al., 2008; Knaus et al., 2008, 2010). However, it is unknown if these disruptions in hemispheric lateralization in autism are localized to language-relevant regions, as posited in the left hemisphere dysfunction theory of autism (McCann, 1982), or if they are more pervasive. Current evidence is mixed, with findings for generally increased activity in the right hemisphere in autism (Anderson et al., 2010; Knaus et al., 2008; Takeuchi et al., 2004; Tesink et al., 2009; A. T. Wang et al., 2006), generally decreased activity in the left hemisphere (Eyler et al., 2012; Harris et al., 2006; Müller et al., 2003), both increased activity in the right hemisphere and decreased activity in the left hemisphere (Boddaert et al., 2003; Kleinhans et al., 2008; Redcay & Courchesne, 2008), and generally decreased connectivity across both hemispheres in autism (Cardinale et al., 2013). The aim of this study is to estimate hemispheric specialization in autism using an individual-level approach and explore the relationship between hemispheric specialization and verbal ability.

This study examines autistic and non-autistic college students’ experiences of discrimination and harassment and identifies protective and risk factors. A nationwide survey was used to match autistic students (N = 290) and non-autistic students (N = 290) on co-occurring diagnoses and demographic characteristics. Multiple regression and interaction analysis revealed that faculty support was protective against discrimination and harassment regardless of autism status. Habits of mind was particularly protective for autistic students against harassment. Any student who engaged in school-facilitated events was more likely to experience discrimination and harassment, but the risk was heightened for autistic students. Findings highlight the importance of faculty support in fostering positive interpersonal experiences on campus, and demonstrate the need to address deeper college campus issues with respect to neurodiversity.

Diversity is an undeniable fact of nature (Gaston and Spicer in Biodiversity: an introduction. Wiley, Hoboken, 2004), and there is now evidence that nature did not stop generating diversity just before “designing” the human brain (Joel et al. in Proc Natl Acad Sci 112(50):15,468–15,473. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1509654112 , 2015). If neurodiversity is a fact of nature, what about neurodivergence? Although the terms “neurodiversity” and “neurodivergence” are sometimes used interchangeably, this is, we believe, a mistake: “neurodiversity” is a term of inclusion whereas “neurodivergence” is a term of exclusion. To make the difference clear, note that everyone can be said to be neurodiverse, but that it is almost impossible for everyone to be neurodivergent. Neurodivergence is, we claim here, a fact of society. Neurodivergent individuals are those whose cognitive profile diverges from an established cognitive norm, a norm that is not an objective statistical fact of human neurological functioning but a standard established and maintained by socio-political processes. In this paper, we describe the socio-political mechanisms that build neurodivergence out of neurodiversity which, inspired by Mihai (Contemp Polit Theory 17(4):395–416. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41296-017-0186-z , 2018), we call “epistemic and cognitive marginalization”. First, we extend the traditional concept of neurodiversity, which we believe too closely tied to a neuroreductionist conception of cognition, to that of “extended neurodiversity,” thereby viewing neurodiversity through the lens of 4E (i.e., embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive) cognition. Considering that human cognition depends on epistemic resources, both for their construction (diachronic dependence) and their online dynamic expression (synchronic dependence), we hypothesize that the differential access to epistemic resources in society, a form of epistemic injustice, is an overlooked mechanism that turns neurodiversity into neurodivergence. In doing so, we shed light on a type of epistemic injustice that might be missing from the epistemic injustice literature: cognitive injustices.

This article applies the insight of culturally relevant pedagogy to neurodiversity. The neurodiversity paradigm reframes autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental conditions as natural h...

Neurodivergence is currently underrepresented among staff in higher education. Acknowledging such underrepresentation, this narrative review critically explores the experiences of neurodivergent ac...

Background A crowd-sourced Canadian platform that collects information across neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) can (1) facilitate knowledge mobilization; (2) provide epidemiological data that can benefit knowledge, treatment, and advocacy; and (3) inform policy and resource allocation decisions. We obtained input from parents of children with NDDs about relevance and feasibility of questionnaire items as a first step to inform questionnaire development of a stakeholder-driven, national platform for data collection on children with NDDs. Methods A parent of a teenager with NDDs was a research partner on the project. Through four focus groups and using a guided discussion consensus process, 16 participants provided feedback on whether questionnaire items from existing instruments related to function and disability were feasible for parents to complete and important to include in the platform. Data were analysed using content analysis. Results Participants (1) indicated that questions about medical history, general health, body functioning, self-care, access to resources, and outcomes (e.g., quality of life) are important to include in the platform and are feasible for self-completion; (2) provided various suggestions for the questionnaire ranging from additional items to include, using non-medical language, and keeping completion time from 20 to 30 min; (3) identified incentives and knowing the purpose of the platform as strong motivators to platform participation; (4) spoke about the challenges of their caregiver experience including impact of caregiving on themselves and barriers to accessing services; and (5) highlighted the isolation experienced by their children. Conclusion Through the focus groups, parent stakeholders contributed to questionnaire development and shared their caregiver experiences. Obtaining feedback from youths with NDDs and healthcare providers on the questionnaire is a next step to validating findings. Stakeholder engagement is fundamental to developing a platform that will inform research that is relevant to the needs of children with NDDs and their families.

Flipped classroom pedagogics has become a widely used approach within blended learning. The aim of the present study is to add students’ perspectives on the flipped classroom as used as a pedagogic...

To anticipate and respond to the diverse ways of reasoning students with disabilities use to make sense in inclusive mathematics classrooms, special educators require a deep understanding of a diverse array of student thinking. Unfortunately, historic and contemporary data suggest that opportunities for special educators to develop this knowledge prior to classroom teaching are diminutive. Further inquiry is needed into pre-service experiences that might support growth in teachers’ knowledge. We present results from a US-based semester-long course grounded in neurodiversity and students’ mathematical thinking designed to improve 20 special educators’ pedagogical content knowledge. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted to determine how the pre-service teachers anticipated students’ diverse mathematical thinking before and after experience in the course along with their propensity to adapt problems to respond to diversity during instruction. Furthermore, the pre-test to post-test changes in pre-service teachers’ anticipations of students’ problem-solving strategies and adaptations of problems were statistically significant. Implications for teacher preparation and future research are shared.