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Supporting neurodivergent‐inclusive workplaces is an increasingly important consideration in Human Resource Management (HRM). While a strengths‐based approach to neurodivergence has been advocated, empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of HRM practices that support high‐quality employment outcomes for neurodivergent people is lacking. Drawing on a nationally representative sample of over 25,000 people in the United Kingdom, we examine the influence of neurodivergence on multiple employment outcomes, including employment status, underemployment, employment precarity, job tenure, and hourly wages. We theorize and empirically examine how flexible‐ and homeworking practices moderate the effects of neurodivergence on employment outcomes. Our findings show that neurodivergent people are twice as likely to be in precarious employment and more than 10 times as likely to be in temporary employment compared to neurotypical people. Neurodivergent individuals are also significantly more likely to experience underemployment and have lower employment tenure; however, controlling for other factors, we find no significant differences in hourly wages. We find that flexible working practices can substantially improve employment outcomes for neurodivergent people, raising significant questions regarding the role of HRM in enabling more neurodiverse workplaces. We critically reflect on the implications of our findings for policy, practice, and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, the Nordic countries have been admired for their inclusive education systems within egalitarian societies, bolstered by PISA studies and global calls to ensure inclusive education as a human right. This paper contrasts idealised perspectives on Nordic education with internal experiences, exploring recent challenges to the relationship between special and inclusive education. Using Sweden as a case study, it highlights internal diversity within the Nordic region, showing differing paths and gaps between research, policy and school realities. The risks of idealising past educational models are discussed, noting that Sweden, once known for its egalitarian education and low special education needs classification rates, now faces higher classification rates and more separate provision due to policy changes. Recent trends have shown a shift towards increased diagnosis and classification, influenced by marketisation and decentralisation policies. The paper focuses on neurodivergence, analysing shifts in government priorities, teacher education, school practices and research agendas. Analysis of recent policies, reports and educational data reveals winners and losers in school participation, providing insights into the implications for educational discourse, the future of the ‘Nordic model’, and Swedish education in a global context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Camouflaging, the strategies that some autistic people use to hide their differences, has been hypothesized to trigger mental health ramifications. Camouflaging might reflect ubiquitous impression management experiences that are not unique to autistic people and similarly impact the mental health of non-autistic people. Aims: We first examined whether individuals in the general population camouflage and manage impressions while experiencing mental health repercussions, and how gender and neurodivergent traits modified these associations. We then assessed how camouflaging and impression management arose from internalized stigma, and their inter-relationships in shaping mental health outcomes. Methods: Data were collected from 972 adults from a representative U.S. general population sample, with measures pertaining to camouflaging, impression management, mental health, internalized stigma, and neurodivergent traits. Multivariate hierarchical regression and moderated mediation analyses were used to address the two research aims. Results: Both camouflaging and self-presentation (a key component of impression management) were associated with mental health presentations in the general population, which overlapped with those previously reported in autistic people. These associations were more pronounced in women compared with men and were of different directions for individuals with higher autistic traits versus higher ADHD traits. Internalized stigma might be a key stressor that could elicit camouflaging and impression management through social anxiety, which in turn might lead to adverse mental health outcomes. Conclusions: These findings advance the conceptual clarity and clinical relevance of camouflaging and impression management across social and neurodiverse groups in the general population. The ramifications of camouflaging and impression management underscore the need to alleviate internalized stigma for better mental health across human groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crip time is a fluid term with various definitions that pertain to the ways that disabled people experience time. In one sense, the effects of crip time can be constraining, particularly when it results in an encounter with ableist institutional and societal barriers. But crip time can also take on a liberatory form as a mode of resistance and a catalyst for structural change. This autoethnographic inquiry explores these various manifestations of crip time and will take form as a kind of crip time travel endeavour that recounts my experiences of temporality as a neurodivergent university art student. Framed through the mental imagery of the membrane and the vortex, I discuss the ways in which my neurodivergent student temporality collided and conflicted with the rigid temporal frameworks of neoliberal higher art education (HAE). I particularly focus on how HAE segments its programming into academic and artistic curricular time. I detail my difficulties keeping up with the academic curricular time to such an extent that the studio time and community time of artistic curricular time became lost or displaced time. Based on this crip time travel inquiry, I will acknowledge and move beyond a confining conception of crip time to offer insights into the liberatory potential of crip time towards reimagining temporal relations, reconceiving student success and opening time for neurodivergent students for critical making and thinking among a community of artist peers and mentors in HAE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn this article, I critique media narratives about ‘ADHD superpowers’ that have become particularly prominent in recent times as awareness-raising activities have gained traction in social as well as new media platforms surrounding ADHD, in particular, and neurodivergence, in general. Narratives centring ‘ADHD superpowers’ widely circulating on the internet overlook ADHDers’ need for quotidian and consistent supports—as they place disproportionate emphasis on ‘strengths’ that are uniquely attributed to ADHD—while turning ADHD into a veritable brand that represents, what I call, ‘entrepreneurial neurodivergence’. These narratives do not take into account the fact that ADHDers are not a homogenous group and cannot exercise supposed ‘superpowers’ evenly or at all. Therefore, claims about ‘ADHD superpowers’ could further lead to the exploitation and marginalization of historically oppressed ADHDers—especially those who cannot conform to superhuman expectations placed on them by hyperbolic and irresponsible ‘superpower’ narratives that encourage maldistribution, inequity, and injustice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender clinic and single‐item questionnaire‐based data report increased co‐occurrence of gender diversity and neurodevelopmental conditions. The nuances of these associations are under‐studied. We used a transdiagnostic approach, combining categorical and dimensional characterization of neurodiversity, to further the understanding of its associations with gender diversity in identity and expression in children. Methods: Data from 291 children (Autism N = 104, ADHD N = 104, Autism + ADHD N = 17, neurotypical N = 66) aged 4–12 years enrolled in the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Network were analyzed. Gender diversity was measured multi‐dimensionally using a well‐validated parent‐report instrument, the Gender Identity Questionnaire for Children (GIQC). We used gamma regression models to determine the significant correlates of gender diversity among age, puberty, sex‐assigned‐at‐birth, categorical neurodevelopmental diagnoses, and dimensional neurodivergent traits (using the Social Communication Questionnaire and the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD Symptoms and Normal Behavior Rating Scales). Internalizing and externalizing problems were included as covariates. Results: Neither a categorical diagnosis of autism nor ADHD significantly correlated with current GIQC‐derived scores. Instead, higher early‐childhood dimensional autistic social‐communication traits correlated with higher current overall gender incongruence (as defined by GIQC‐14 score). This correlation was potentially moderated by sex‐assigned‐at‐birth: greater early‐childhood autistic social‐communication traits were associated with higher current overall gender incongruence in assigned‐males‐at‐birth, but not assigned‐females‐at‐birth. For fine‐grained gender diversity domains, greater autistic restricted‐repetitive behavior traits were associated with greater diversity in gender identity across sexes‐assigned‐at‐birth; greater autistic social‐communication traits were associated with lower stereotypical male expression across sexes‐assigned‐at‐birth. Conclusions: Dimensional autistic traits, rather than ADHD traits or categorical neurodevelopmental diagnoses, were associated with gender diversity domains across neurodivergent and neurotypical children. The association between early‐childhood autistic social‐communication traits and overall current gender diversity was most evident in assigned‐males‐at‐birth. Nuanced interrelationships between neurodivergence and gender diversity should be better understood to clarify developmental links and to offer tailored support for neurodivergent and gender‐diverse populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current dynamic education landscape, equipping students with flexible, critical and creative digital literacy skills is essential. Higher education plays a key role in this endeavour, as changes in the use of digital technology and academic practices have created an increasing need for teachers and students to develop multimodal competencies. To develop these skills, educational institutions should embrace and utilise multimodality in both teaching and assessment. Aside from meeting students’ expectations to develop their digital literacy skills, multimodal approaches provide an engaging, interactive and creative experience of education. They also constitute a more inclusive method of learning, as neurodivergent students can access information and demonstrate knowledge in different ways. This article provides a synthesis of research into the barriers and benefits of multimodal learning and assessment. The paper calls for a change in mindset among education stakeholders, advocating for the recognition of learning as multimodal, and the implementation of multimodal assessment.

Abstract Background Difficulties with inhibitory control have been identified in eating disorders (EDs) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs; including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder), and there appear to be parallels between the expression of these impairments. It is theorised that impairments in inhibitory control within NDs may represent a unique vulnerability for eating disorders (EDs), and this same mechanism may contribute to poorer treatment outcomes. This review seeks to determine the state of the literature concerning the role of inhibitory control in the overlap of EDs and neurodivergence. Method A scoping review was conducted to summarise extant research, and to identify gaps in the existing knowledge base. Scopus, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, and ProQuest were systematically searched. Studies were included if the study measured traits of ADHD or autism, and symptoms of ED, and required participants to complete a performance task measure of inhibitory control. Where studies included a cohort with both an ND and ED, these results had to be reported separately from cohorts with a singular diagnosis. Studies were required to be published in English, within the last 10 years. Results No studies explored the relationship between autism and EDs using behavioural measures of inhibitory control. Four studies exploring the relationship between ADHD and EDs using behavioural measures of inhibitory control met selection criteria. These studies showed a multifaceted relationship between these conditions, with differences emerging between domains of inhibitory control. ADHD symptoms predicted poorer performance on measures of response inhibition in a non-clinical sample; this was not replicated in clinical samples, nor was there a significant association with EDs. Both ADHD and ED symptoms are associated with poor performance on attentional control measures; where these diagnoses were combined, performance was worse than for those with a singular diagnosis of ADHD. This was not replicated when compared to those with only ED diagnoses. Conclusion Impairments in attentional control may represent a unique vulnerability for the development of an ED and contribute to poor treatment outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the role of inhibitory control in EDs, ADHD and autism, including the use of both self-report and behavioural measures to capture the domains of inhibitory control.

Background and aims: Peer interaction difficulties are often elevated amongst children with language disorders, yet the mechanisms underlying these difficulties are unclear. Previous research indicates that poor conflict management, social withdrawal, emotion regulation difficulties, and reduced prosocial behavior may contribute to peer interaction difficulties. However, this research often uses adult perspectives, failing to acknowledge child perceptions of these experiences. The present study aimed to qualitatively investigate perceptions of peer interactions from the perspective of children with language disorders. Methods: Seven participants aged between 7- and 10-years-old took part. All participants were diagnosed with a language disorder and had language as their primary area of difficulty. Participants were recruited from a specialist language school and via an online database. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, with participants given the choice to answer questions verbally or creatively, using toys or drawing materials. Interview transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Participants valued play, conversation, and helping others. They felt that spending time with peers could alleviate loneliness. However, sometimes solitude was needed as social interaction could be overwhelming. Participants found conflict challenging and exhibited difficulties with regulating emotions. Participants relied on running away, retaliation, or asking an adult for help, to resolve conflict. Conclusions and implications: The findings suggest that children with language disorders are socially motivated and have relative strengths in displaying prosocial behavior. However, children with language disorders require support to promote positive relationships. This support includes help with making deeper connections with peers, opportunities to spend time alone when needed, and providing adept conflict resolution and emotion regulation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional feelings are putatively ascribed to central representation of bodily states in the context of expectation and uncertainty in both internal state and external world. Neurodivergent people are more likely to experience co-occurring mental health challenges, although mechanistic insights underpinning this association are scarce. We therefore undertook a study to test whether imprecise processing of proprioceptive error signals may underlie the connection between neurodivergence and emotional dysregulation. In a cohort of people with complex chronic conditions, including chronic pain/fatigue, and complex trauma, and in a comparison group, we assessed presence of neurodivergence, variant connective tissue manifested through joint hypermobility, and emotional dysregulation. We present a data-informed conceptual model showing that variant connective tissue determines whether proprioceptive surprise is linked with emotional dysregulation in neurodivergent individuals. We suggest that future research in this area may have important clinical implications for the interaction of mental and physical wellbeing in neurodivergent people. This article is part of the theme issue 'Sensing and feeling: an integrative approach to sensory processing and emotional experience'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENTResearch suggests that autistic individuals have qualitatively unique experiences of prison social environments, and that these experiences may have implications for autistic prisoners’ mental wellbeing and engagement with offending behaviour interventions. However, this has yet to be quantitatively tested. Using a sample of 177 adult prisoners from two UK prisons that exclusively house individuals with sexual convictions, this study tested a hypothesised double-mediation model, to investigate associations between autistic traits and prisoners’ readiness to engage with treatment, and whether this was mediated by experiences of the prison social climate and mental wellbeing. Results indicated that prisoners with higher levels of autistic traits had poorer experiences of prison social climates, which, in turn, predicted higher levels of anxiety and depression, which subsequently predicted reduced level readiness to engage with offending behaviour interventions. Implications for research and practice are discussed, emphasising the need for increased autism-related awareness and support provisions in prisons.The present study is a novel quantitative study, which is the first to statistically demonstrate that neurodivergence can significantly influence prisoners’ perceptions of prison social climates, mental wellbeing, and ultimately readiness to engage with rehabilitate interventions. As such, these findings emphasise the importance of embedding understanding neurodiversity in prison staff training, as well as considering and accommodating neurodiversity as a key dimension in the development of a prison’s rehabilitative culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Some research indicates that neurodivergent people are less likely than “neurotypical” people to adapt their movements to a partner’s movements to facilitate interpersonal motor synchrony. Researchers therefore suggest synchrony deficits underlie the social differences associated with autism and other neurodivergences. Intensive Interaction (II) is a client-led approach, where Learning Support Workers (LSW) follow the lead of learners to create balanced and reciprocal interactions. Methods: We aimed to examine the balance of synchrony in learners with autism and Severe Learning Disabilities and their LSWs in a special education college where learners had prior experience with II. Using Motion Energy Analysis, we assessed the degree to which each partner acted as a leader, and hence which partner acted as a follower, during moments of close synchrony. Results: Overall, learners and LSWs showed higher than chance synchrony. There were no differences in the degree to which each partner led the moments of synchrony, or the amount pairs synchronized with zero-lag, where there was no delay between each partners’ movements. Discussion: The equal balance of leading and following in the learner and LSW pairs demonstrates that both partners consistently adapted their movements to their partner’s movements to facilitate synchrony. The findings tentatively challenge the notion of a synchrony deficit in autism and suggest synchrony can be present in cross-neurotype pairs in comfortable and engaging conditions. We discuss the potential for client-led, movement-based approaches to support smooth interactions across neurotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents rational inattention as a new, transdiagnostic theory of information seeking in neurodevelopmental conditions that have uneven cognitive and socio‐emotional profiles, including developmental language disorder (DLD), dyslexia, dyscalculia and autism. Rational inattention holds that the optimal solution to minimizing epistemic uncertainty is to avoid imprecise information sources. The key theoretical contribution of this report is to endogenize imprecision, making it a function of the primary neurocognitive difficulties that have been invoked to explain neurodivergent phenotypes, including deficits in auditory perception, working memory, procedural learning and the social brain network. We argue that disengagement with information sources with low endogenous precision (e.g. speech in DLD, orthography‐phonology mappings in dyslexia, numeric stimuli in dyscalculia and social signals in autism) constitutes resource‐rational behaviour. We demonstrate the strength of this account in a series of computational simulations. In experiment 1, we simulate information seeking in artificial agents mimicking an array of neurodivergent phenotypes, which optimally explore a complex learning environment containing speech, text, numeric stimuli and social cues. In experiment 2, we simulate optimal information seeking in a cross‐modal dual‐task paradigm and qualitatively replicate empirical data from children with and without DLD. Across experiments, simulated agents' only aim was to maximally reduce epistemic uncertainty, with no difference in reward across information sources. We show that rational inattention emerges naturally in specific neurodivergent phenotypes as a function of low endogenous precision. For instance, an agent mimicking the DLD phenotype disengages with speech (and preferentially engages with alternative precise information sources) because endogenous imprecision renders speech not conducive to information gain. Because engagement is necessary for learning, simulation demonstrates how optimal information seeking may paradoxically contribute negatively to an already delayed learning trajectory in neurodivergent children. Research Highlights: We present the first comprehensive theory of information seeking in neurodivergent children to date, centred on the notion of rational inattention.We demonstrate the strength of this account in a series of computational simulations involving artificial agents mimicking specific neurodivergent phenotypes that optimally explore a complex learning environment containing speech, text, numeric stimuli, and social cues.We show how optimal information seeking may, paradoxically, contribute negatively to an already delayed learning trajectory in neurodivergent children.This report advances our understanding of the factors shaping short‐term decision making and long‐term learning in neurodivergent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Derived from the concept of neurodiversity, neurodivergence is an umbrella term for various conditions such as Autism‐Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), Dyslexia, or Dyspraxia, which affect approximately 22% of the population. Sensory difficulties and overload are a common symptom. The provision of physical workplace adjustments for neurodivergent workers, such as workplace design solutions, has become popular in practice, yet their utility remains unsubstantiated. This review evaluates the evidence for physical workplace adjustments and their link to occupational longevity, performance and health/well‐being in neurodivergent workers. A systematic review (PRISMA guidelines) of studies published in English between 2000 and 2021 focused on these inclusion criteria: adult office workers clinically considered neurodiverse, their families, colleagues, employers, experts and vocational programme staff; at least one physical workplace adjustment; and all types of empirical study designs. The theoretical framing was based on the ecological model of person–environment fit supplemented by the International Classification of Functioning, (ICF) disability and health and environmental stress theory. Quality assessment and data synthesis were undertaken. Of the 319 studies identified, 20 met the eligibility criteria; the majority addressed ASD. Most studies described a combination of adjustments to address different environmental stimuli. The most frequent adjustments addressed sound distractions (e.g. single‐person offices) and light sensitivity (e.g. light control), which were related to occupational longevity, performance and health/well‐being. A range of other adjustments addressed aspects such as environmental control, crowding or decompression rooms. There is insufficient evidence to fully evaluate the usefulness of adjustments, partially due to methodological shortcomings. Despite the variety of challenges with the sensory physical environment acknowledged in the literature for neurodivergent conditions, there is a paucity of evidence. Given the potential of physical adjustments to improve work and health outcomes, we highlight the necessity for more theoretically driven and methodologically sound research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to describe how autistic TikTok creators are using ChatGPT across various domains of their lives, their motivations for doing so, and resulting impacts. Using a framework of "disability expertise," we document the knowledge that creators acquired through use of ChatGPT and then shared with peers via social media. We used deductive qualitative methods to analyze 25 TikTok videos from 25 unique creators. Themes were identified in connection with motivations for the use of ChatGPT, settings in which it was used, applications of this technology, and resulting impacts for creators. Findings indicate that autistic creators were motivated to use ChatGPT to navigate neurotypical environments, manage features of their neurodivergence, and unmask, with the technology often serving as a digital coach, communication assistant, and conversational partner. Use of ChatGPT resulted in harm reduction, time and energy savings, positive emotional experiences, and meaningful accomplishments in both personal and professional settings. These findings indicate that ChatGPT serves as an important resource for many autistic individuals, facilitating accommodations to often inaccessible environments and helping users manage stressors and pursue goals. The study also highlights the significance of social media platforms for disseminating disability expertise related to the use of large language models to improve quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Difficulties with inhibitory control have been identified in eating disorders (EDs) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs; including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder), and there appear to be parallels between the expression of these impairments. It is theorised that impairments in inhibitory control within NDs may represent a unique vulnerability for eating disorders (EDs), and this same mechanism may contribute to poorer treatment outcomes. This review seeks to determine the state of the literature concerning the role of inhibitory control in the overlap of EDs and neurodivergence. Method: A scoping review was conducted to summarise extant research, and to identify gaps in the existing knowledge base. Scopus, Medline, PsycInfo, Embase, and ProQuest were systematically searched. Studies were included if the study measured traits of ADHD or autism, and symptoms of ED, and required participants to complete a performance task measure of inhibitory control. Where studies included a cohort with both an ND and ED, these results had to be reported separately from cohorts with a singular diagnosis. Studies were required to be published in English, within the last 10 years. Results: No studies explored the relationship between autism and EDs using behavioural measures of inhibitory control. Four studies exploring the relationship between ADHD and EDs using behavioural measures of inhibitory control met selection criteria. These studies showed a multifaceted relationship between these conditions, with differences emerging between domains of inhibitory control. ADHD symptoms predicted poorer performance on measures of response inhibition in a non-clinical sample; this was not replicated in clinical samples, nor was there a significant association with EDs. Both ADHD and ED symptoms are associated with poor performance on attentional control measures; where these diagnoses were combined, performance was worse than for those with a singular diagnosis of ADHD. This was not replicated when compared to those with only ED diagnoses. Conclusion: Impairments in attentional control may represent a unique vulnerability for the development of an ED and contribute to poor treatment outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the role of inhibitory control in EDs, ADHD and autism, including the use of both self-report and behavioural measures to capture the domains of inhibitory control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research indicates that menopause can be an extremely difficult transition for some autistic people. This study asks how autistic people experience menopause and how they can better access services, support and information; autistic Community Research Associates played an important role in each stage of the research. Online focus groups and interviews were conducted with 24 autistic participants who lived in Canada (n = 13) or the United Kingdom (n = 11) and had experience with the menopausal transition. Transcripts were coded and analysed by four team members using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes and eight subthemes were identified: (1) Complexity, multiplicity and intensity of symptoms (0 subthemes); (2) Life experience and adversity converging at midlife (three subthemes); (3) The importance of knowledge and connection (two subthemes); and (4) Barriers to support and care (three subthemes). Limitations include a potential sample bias towards difficult experiences of menopause. The majority of our sample had a late diagnosis or discovery of autism, and their experiences might not generalize to wider autistic populations. This research may help autistic people prepare for menopause and recognize symptoms earlier. Hearing about the experiences of others may let autistic people who struggle with menopause know they are not alone. Previous studies report that menopause can be a very difficult transition for some autistic people. This study focuses on how autistic people experience menopause and what support and information might help them. Autistic Community Research Associates played an important role in the research and co-authored this article. We held four focus groups and eight interviews online with 24 autistic participants who lived in either Canada (n = 13) or the United Kingdom (n = 11). We analysed participant conversations using a method called reflexive thematic analysis. Participants described many intense challenges during menopause. Four themes and eight subthemes were identified across participant groups: (1) Complexity, multiplicity and intensity of symptoms (0 subthemes); (2) Life experience and adversity converging at midlife (three subthemes); (3) The importance of knowledge and connection (two subthemes); and (4) Barriers to support and care (three subthemes). The experiences of our participants may not be the same as other autistic people, and the study could have been more inclusive of diverse autistic groups. However, hearing about the experiences of others may provide reassurance to autistic people who struggle with menopause and let them know they are not alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how capable young children are of thinking about a potential future that uses DNA screening to assess an individual's likelihood of experiencing learning or behaviour difficulties. Puppets and a scenario-based approach were used to ask children aged 4–10 (n = 165) whether they thought DNA screening might be helpful or harmful. A content analysis derived six categories: (1) 'Worried about being – and being seen as – different'; (2) 'Beliefs about the origins of learning and behaviour'; (3) 'Testing is harmful'; (4) 'Testing could help'; (5) 'How soon is too soon for testing?'; and (6) 'What's the point?'. Findings indicate young children, as key stakeholders, can make useful contributions to public debate in this important and controversial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the challenges for mental health research is the lack of an agreed set of outcome measures that are used routinely and consistently between disciplines and across studies in order to build a more robust evidence base for how to better understand young people's mental health and effectively address diverse needs. Methods: This study involved a scoping review of reviews on consensus of the use of mental health and wellbeing measures with children and young people. We were particularly interested to identify if there are differences in measures that are recommended for children and young people with care experience including those with developmental disabilities. Findings: We identified 41 reviews, of which two had a focus on child welfare settings, three on childhood trauma and 14 focused on children and young people with developmental disabilities. Overall, our review highlights a lack of consensus and a diversity of measures within the field. We identified 60 recommended measures, of which only nine were recommended by more than one review. Conclusions: Our review highlights the need for greater agreement in the use of mental health outcome measures. While our review highlights that there is value in identifying measures that can be used with any child or young person, researchers need to take into account additional considerations when working with children and young people with care experience and those with developmental disabilities, to ensure measures are accessible and sensitive to their life experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the evolution of head-mounted displays helps to popularize Mixed Reality, this contribution builds on an experimental project (MiRA) which provides a touchless, interactive perspective illusion that virtually completes exhibited artifacts through projections. This paper explores the possibilities of adapting such an interaction paradigm to the needs of users with special needs who do not conform to social standards. The accessibility of museums, websites, and user interfaces has received a lot of attention. However, since prior research on the accessibility of mixed-reality museum installations is relatively limited, this contribution aims to be a useful resource about how to approach Extended Reality (XR). As a literature review, this research is based on a qualitative approach to the issue. A total of fifty studies on accessibility and social inclusion were selected, in both museum and XR contexts, identifying three intervention categories: disabled, elderly, and neurodivergent people. Furthermore, the research revealed a series of accessibility guidelines that were applied to the current project to identify areas for improvement. Although the MiRA project's use of a depth camera and projections suggested an approachable interaction for any type of visitor, this study discovered gaps in its accessibility. To make the proposed system of interactive museum projections accessible to visitors with specific needs, rules extrapolated from the fields of accessibility in museums, video games, and user interfaces were applied. The observations made in this study can be implemented to improve accessibility in this and other projects of Spatial Augmented Reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butoh dance – an avant-garde dance 'form' which emerged in Japan in the early 1960s – has been discussed by various scholars in terms of the deconstruction or the unlearning of the social body. In this article, written from my perspective as an autistic butoh dancer, I offer a reflection on the relationship between the autistic body and the butoh body – or rather, I offer a reflection on the relationship between (my) autistic body and (my) butoh body, though I argue that butoh and autism precisely call into question the (neurotypical) assumptions embedded in this sentence. That is, I believe that butoh and autism call into question both the existence of 'the body' as a pre-existing form and the notion that it would be the property of an 'I', of a subject, of a unified self. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an autoethnographic article that unpicks the author's experiences of navigating the form and the social world of contact improvisation (CI) as a crip bodymind that routinely passes as normative and (very) 'able'. Drawing on fieldnotes made across a year of practising and studying CI in London, it considers what kind of subjectivities and social relations this dance form summons, encourages and constitutes. This article proposes that the ideal subject of CI is characterized by vitality, agility, intense desire, openness to risk, an ability to attune to oneself and to others and a combination of self-reliance and willingness (and capacity) to cooperate. The article draws parallels and (dis)continuities between these features and the aspects of subjecthood fostered by late capitalist 'risk society' and the risk subjects it conjures. It then enquires whether this ideal subject is compatible with certain neurodivergent and other crip ways of being-in-the-world. The article proceeds to consider how, and if, space can be made in CI for what is ironically defined here as the 'wimp' subject: less disposed to embrace risk; not adept at quick decision-making; not thrill-seeking, and easily overwhelmed by sensory and nervous stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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/

An awareness of neurodiversity is important for educators as there has been an increase in the number of neurodivergent students accessing higher education (HE) in recent years (HESA, 2022). Additionally, universities have a legal obligation under the Equality Act 2010 to provide anticipatory reasonable adjustments to reduce barriers to learning (Equality Challenge Unit, 2010). In this wildcard session, the authors presented the journey of the ALDinHE Neurodiversity/ Inclusivity Community of Practice (CoP). They invited new members to become involved with the CoP. CoPs are ‘socially configured spaces that necessarily involve learning as an aspect of membership’ (Tummons, 2018, p.4). Community members can become involved by joining the bi-monthly meetings, hosting a session on a topic they are passionate about, or reviewing submissions for the Neurodivergence Resource Bank. The session offered delegates the chance to explore the Neurodivergence Resource Bank. This open-access repository is available through ALDinHE’s website, meaning all HE staff can access the resources. This is key as all HE staff ‘should be aware of inclusive teaching practices, to ensure an equitable learning experience for all students’ (Dettmer and Welton, 2023, p.64). Participants gave feedback on the submissions. They were also encouraged to submit their resources to it. This session explained how to submit resources and the benefits of evidencing impact for professional development.

he article presents the case of a girl, Arina, who, based on psychological self-examination, discovered that she had autism spectrum disorder and insisted on receiving an official psychiatric diagnosis. She reported that for many years she had been engaged in masking – hiding existing communication disorders, as a result of which she developed emotional dysregulation and “autistic burnout.” In addition, she was dissatisfied with her name and asked those around her to call her Misha, but in the feminine gender. Misha's behavior was disharmonious; she was prone to conflict due to a misunderstanding of the non-verbal reactions of her interlocutors. An analysis of the literature on the issue of comorbidity of autism spectrum disorders was carried out. It was concluded that the Asperger syndrome identified in the patient was not combined with clearly defined comorbid mental and behavioral disorders, but with abortifacient elements of certain psychopathological symptoms. It is assumed that comorbid disorders did not develop in Misha in an expanded form precisely because of the presence of specific autistic traits that made it difficult to develop a full picture of any other disorders.

In recent years, there has been growing awareness of the importance of representation in fiction books, to ensure all children and young people can see themselves reflected in what they read. Much of this work has focused, importantly, on increasing ethnic representation, yet there has been much less exploration of the representation of other minority experiences, such as those of neurodivergent young people, and how these are perceived by neurodivergent young people themselves. This article provides new insights into neurodivergent young people's perceptions of representation of neurodivergence in fiction books (and other text types) based on semi‐structured interviews with 16 neurodivergent young people (aged 14 to 17 year olds) from 2 high schools in Scotland. Using an inductive data‐driven thematic analysis process, three themes were identified: (1) representation of neurodivergence should be complex, realistic, and positive; (2) representation of neurodivergence should be normalised; (3) representation of neurodivergence beyond books is important. Each of these themes is explored in detail, followed by implications for future research, practice and the publishing of Young Adult fiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers current workforce issues facing psychological professionals working in NHS services, examining the challenges, and identifying opportunities to better meet the needs of autistic people and people with an intellectual disability (PwID) across the lifespan. The aim of this paper is to identify and publicly articulate the need for a coherent approach to guide the practice of psychological professionals when helping autistic people and/or PwID. It should be noted that the scope of the paper is limited to autism and intellectual disability. In addressing these broad groups and their co-occurring conditions and needs, we anticipate that many principles could be applied to other neurodevelopmental conditions. We also note the significant potential challenges in linking intellectual disability and autistic populations, hence have attempted – in drawing together a working group to write this paper – to ensure representation from a range of psychological professionals including those in policy, leadership, and training roles, those working in specialist or generic mental health services and undertaking clinical research across the lifespan. Objectives: ■ To help define and support clear action so that all sectors welcome and adequately support people with neurodevelopmental differences, including autistic people and/or PwID. ■ To play a role in the development, planning and evaluation of new psychological professions roles such as the Clinical Associates in Psychology (CAPS) and Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs). ■ To reflect on the obstacles to recruiting to autism and learning disability services and to propose approaches to developing a sustainable psychological workforce in these areas. ■ To recognise where good examples of education and training programmes exist to address training, confidence and competence for all psychological professionals working with those who may be autistic and/or have an ID, and consider how to establish a more consistent approach to education, training and CPD across the workforce. ■ To engage in policy discussions around the current gaps, such as the demand for diagnostic assessments and support which significantly outstrips capacity, whilst highlighting unrealised opportunities, through for example, a systematic approach to training. ■ To advocate for the need for the voice of autistic people and PwID and their families/carers which is often absent from the design and offer of help. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper acknowledges the need for a user-centric solution that helps with emotional regulation and stress management in children with ADHD. The paper presents a unique and comprehensive solution that integrates Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms to enhance user experience and aid children with ADHD to regulate their emotions and behaviours through a reward-based system. Through careful analysis of existing literature, and user requirements assessment, a comprehensive framework that integrates machine learning algorithms, physical and digital solution components through a user-centric design approach has been proposed. The core objective is to design and develop a sensory regulation system specifically tailored to the requirements of children with ADHD. Through the development of an engaging and impactful sensory regulation system, children can experience social and academic aspects of school positively while also having the opportunity to expand their social circle through inclusive play environments and ultimately improving their daily experiences. This paper aims to address the imminent need for emotional regulation and stress management tools catering to children with ADHD. By incorporating Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms with a reward-based interaction, this paper aims to solve critical challenges faced by children with ADHD, like emotional regulation difficulties, stress management, poor social skills, and academic performance issues so that they can lead more holistic lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThe medical and social definitions of neurodivergence have become a common topic of discussion in recent years, and the ways that we define, measure and report on conditions within the neurodivergent umbrella are changing. The objective of this study was to analyze differences in mental health symptom presentation at intake and compare treatment outcomes among three groups: clients with an affirming neurodivergent diagnosis, clients without an affirming diagnosis, and neurotypical clients.MethodsData were collected at intake and discharge. Clients self-reported neurodivergent identity, neurodivergent diagnoses, as well as the severity of depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms and self-harm frequency. One-way multivariate analysis of variance tests were run to assess differences in mental health symptoms at intake and discharge based on neurodivergent identity and corresponding diagnosis. When MANOVAs indicated significant differences, follow-up univariate one-way ANOVAs were conducted for each dependent variable.ResultsNeurodivergent clients reported significantly worse mental health symptoms at intake than neurotypical clients, regardless of diagnosis status. Additionally, clients who identified as neurodivergent but did not report an affirming medical diagnosis reported significantly worse mental health symptoms than those who did report an affirming medical diagnosis. By discharge from IOP treatment, no significant differences were found in symptom change scores between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals, or neurodivergent individuals with an affirming diagnosis and those without.DiscussionThese findings highlight the importance of acknowledging client identity as a key component of mental health treatment. The act of validating symptoms and experiences, allowing accommodations when requested, and exploring identity formation regardless of diagnosis, allowed all clients who identified as neurodivergent to benefit from treatment.

IntroductionSome research indicates that neurodivergent people are less likely than “neurotypical” people to adapt their movements to a partner’s movements to facilitate interpersonal motor synchrony. Researchers therefore suggest synchrony deficits underlie the social differences associated with autism and other neurodivergences. Intensive Interaction (II) is a client-led approach, where Learning Support Workers (LSW) follow the lead of learners to create balanced and reciprocal interactions.MethodsWe aimed to examine the balance of synchrony in learners with autism and Severe Learning Disabilities and their LSWs in a special education college where learners had prior experience with II. Using Motion Energy Analysis, we assessed the degree to which each partner acted as a leader, and hence which partner acted as a follower, during moments of close synchrony.ResultsOverall, learners and LSWs showed higher than chance synchrony. There were no differences in the degree to which each partner led the moments of synchrony, or the amount pairs synchronized with zero-lag, where there was no delay between each partners’ movements.DiscussionThe equal balance of leading and following in the learner and LSW pairs demonstrates that both partners consistently adapted their movements to their partner’s movements to facilitate synchrony. The findings tentatively challenge the notion of a synchrony deficit in autism and suggest synchrony can be present in cross-neurotype pairs in comfortable and engaging conditions. We discuss the potential for client-led, movement-based approaches to support smooth interactions across neurotypes.

Neurodivergence is having ‘a mind that functions in ways which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal”’ (Walker, 2021, p. 33; Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the Neurodiversity Paradigm, Autistic Empowerment, and Postnormal Possibilities). The neurodiversity paradigm reframes the medical model of neurodivergence within the social context of disability (den Houting, 2018 [Autism, 23, 171]; Dwyer, 2022 [Human Development, 66, 73]). Research converges counselling and neurodiversity in a disorder‐specific context, for example, the wide range of barriers of access to counselling that autistic individuals face (Hallett & Kerr, 2020 [You need support, validation, good coping skills. You need and deserve acceptance]). More recent literature points towards the need for a flexible, clear approach to neurodivergence‐informed counselling (Bolton, 2023b [Three ideas in person‐centered, neurodivergent‐affirming therapy]; Chapman & Botha, 2022 [Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 65, 310]; Pantazakos, 2023 [Counselling and Psychotherapy Research]). This research aimed to explore whether lived experiences of neurodivergent individuals within counselling were accessible, validating and affirming, in particular, regarding reasonable adjustments, communication and environment. An inductive, qualitative approach was adopted. Five individuals participated in semi‐structured interviews, which were analysed following a six‐phase approach to thematic analysis. Six main themes were found: (1) Feelings of frustration and confusion at language used in counselling; (2) Feelings of clarity and validation in language; (3) Feelings of overwhelm due to uncertainty and masking; (4) Feeling understood, heard and able to self‐advocate; (5) The need for a safe, secure sensory environment and accommodations made; and (6) General accessibility and practicalities. Recommendations for practice include amending the counselling contracting process and sensitivity to the communication and sensory needs of each individual client. Further research may wish to explore specific details of the present, and other emergent, neurodiversity research in more detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the Renaissance artist and polymath Leonardo da Vinci as an ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) archetype celebrated for his creativity, brilliance, endless curiosity, and experimentation, this article brings to awareness links between genetic traits and neurodivergence. It seeks to rethink the ADHD diagnosis and proposes a TA-neurodiversity affirming lens for navigating neuronormativity as well as healing from its oppressive structural and systemic processes. In particular, impasses are explored in the context of how neuronormativity impacts relational material and drives adaptive masking patterns, racketeering, and script formation. The authors present the masking-authenticity triangle framework, which provides an intersectional and standpoint epistemological inquiry into the clinical presentation and developmental trajectory of neurodivergent masking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes further development of a TA model that accounts for neurodiversity in a way that is not pathological, one that is in critical response to implicit ableism in TA theory and current standard diagnostic manuals. The authors propose that there is value in incorporating theories of a core organismic self alongside transactional analysis theory of ego structure in accounting for our unique qualities endowed since birth, including neurodiversity. They suggest that the sense of self is formed by two relational processes: the I-I relationship between structural ego states and the core self and the I-Other relationship between structural ego states and others. The authors propose that the accommodations made by a neurodivergent person generally lead to script decisions emerging from their sense of self, which are often categorized as lazy, stupid, and disruptive. The article offers some thinking about these script decisions' complementary functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors, colleagues who are both neurodivergent, reflect on neurodiversity, diagnosis (both formal and informal), and their lived experiences as therapists and clients. They invite readers to think with them about the politics of identity and inclusion and ask whether neurodivergence is a disability, a difference, or both. They offer a bespoke approach to neurodivergence and consider the fine line between neurological and psychological understandings. The authors call for a decentering of neuronormativity in theories and practice and a liberation from the allure of normalcy. They place this within transactional analysis (TA) and its principles of OKness, social justice, openness, and mutuality. Finally, they highlight some limitations of the application of TA for neurodiversity and offer thoughts on an expanded treatment approach focused on phenomenology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We experience life and interact with others in a multitude of ways. The term ‘neurodivergence’ refers to variations from what is considered typical or normal. Neurodivergence influences an individual’s behaviour in social situations and is associated with atypical emotional responses. This can precipitate inequity and rejection. Neurodivergent females are especially prone to many physical and psychological health issues, and musculoskeletal disorders account for a significant proportion of these. Research and education into neurodivergent conditions in females should inform the reassessment of clinicians’ present approach to those who present with multiple unexplained symptoms. Obtaining official confirmation of a neurodivergent condition improves access to support services and helps them and their family better understand themselves and the challenges they face. This commentary highlights the increased risk of developing rheumatological disease for females with neurodivergent conditions and suggests how clinicians might increase their awareness of this.

Abstract Background This paper discusses a paradox in mental health. It manifests as a relationship between adverse “bad” effects (suffering, clinical costs, loss of productivity) in individuals and populations and advantageous “good” aspects of mental disorders. These beneficial aspects (scientific, artistic and political accomplishments) emanate at the societal level through the frequently unprecedented creativity of people suffering from mental disorders and their relatives. Such gains can contribute to societal innovation and problem-solving. Especially in times of accelerated social-ecological change, approaches are needed that facilitate best-possible mental health care but also recognize creative ideas conducive to beneficial clinical and social-ecological innovations as soon as possible. Discussion This paper emphasizes the need to account for creativity as a crucial component in evolving mental health systems and societies. It highlights the need for wide-ranging approaches and discusses how research targeting multiple facets (e.g., brain level, cognitive neuroscience, psychiatry, neurology, socio-cultural, economic and other factors) might further our understanding of the creativity-mental disorder link and its importance for innovating mental health systems and societies. Conclusion Our discussion clarifies that considerable research will be needed to obtain a better understanding of how creativity associated with mental disorders may help to create more sustainable societies on a fast-changing planet through innovative ideas. Given the current-state-of-the-art of research and healthcare management, our discussion is currently speculative. However, it provides a basis for how pros and cons might be studied in the future through transdisciplinary research and collaborations across sectors of society.

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a staff intervention for post-primary schools using the New Authority approach to behaviour management, an approach informed by the principles of Non Violent Resistance (NVR). A review of the literature highlighted gaps in current approaches to behaviour management, particularly when responding to young people from backgrounds of trauma, chronic stress and socio-economic disadvantage, neurodivergent students and those with neurodevelopmental delays – those to whom behaviour management strategies are most often applied. The intervention aimed to reduce the frequency of unproductive behaviours in the classroom and increase participant self-efficacy, measured both quantitatively and qualitatively through an experimental and outcome evaluation design. Results, though preliminary, showed a reduction in the frequency of a range of aggressive and anti-social behaviours, and a smaller reduction for low-level disruptive behaviours. Results also indicated that participants displayed an increased sense of self-efficacy in management of student behaviour after the intervention. Feedback indicated moderate to high satisfaction with the intervention. Thematic analysis showed that participants valued the increased support from colleagues inherent within the intervention. The New Authority is proposed as a relationship-based response to challenging behaviour in schools that is sensitive to the brain's response to stress, the impact of trauma and disadvantage, and the impact of neurodivergence and neurodevelopmental delays.

What draws the ADHD brain to a job like librarianship? I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 42, five years into my career as a teaching librarian at a large public university. As I talked to colleagues and interacted with fellow librarians online, I noticed a trend of librarians being open and honest about their neurodivergence. As a result, this autoethnography explores my personal experience as a teaching librarian with ADHD. I will outline how ADHD affects my role in the following areas: being part of a team, leading a classroom, collaborating with faculty, and managing planning, grading, and communications. I explore these themes through six common ADHD traits: idealism, being an empath, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, being scatter brained, imposter syndrome, and hyperfocus. I will explore how these traits affect me daily, as well as how they have affected my career trajectory.