Neurodivergence individuals and neurodiverse populations may present with deficits in social communication and social interaction; sensory disturbances; repetitive patterns of behavior; heightened anxiety; unipolar or bipolar depression; and other symptoms consistent with a concomitant mental health disorder diagnosis.
Neurodivergence individuals and neurodiverse populations may present with symptoms consistent with one or more mental health diagnoses.
These symptoms must be present in the early developmental period; however, in many cases, they may not become apparent until later in life. This can be due to a lack of social demands and pressures or masking via learned compensatory strategies. Last, these symptoms must cause clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning (Hollander, Hagerman, Ferretti 2022).
RECENTLY PUBLISHED | Examining a model of anxiety in autistic adults by Riedelbauch et al. (2024) at Klinik und Poliklinik für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und –psychotherapie, Medizinische Fakultät, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Anxiety disorders are common in autism. Research studies have identified factors that influence anxiety in autism, such as difficulties with uncertain situations, difficulties understanding own emotions, differences in processing sensory input (related to our senses) and difficulties regulating emotions… Continue Reading
Dr. Alexander Wilson
‘it’s Not Always Textbook Social Anxiety’: A Survey-Based Study Investigating the Nature of Social Anxiety and Experiences of Therapy in Autistic People
Little is known about the nature of social anxiety in autistic people: What is similar and different about factors contributing to social anxiety in autistic and non-autistic people? There is also very limited research about autistic people’s experiences of therapy for social anxiety in current routine clinical practice. This study investigated these issues by analysing responses to an online questionnaire for 308 adults with elevated social anxiety (232 autistic people and 76 non-autistic people) using mixed-methods approaches. Distinct factors influenced social anxiety in autistic participants, including individual and environmental factors relating to autistic experiences in the social world. We propose a ‘distinct’ model of social anxiety in autism. In addition, many participants had not had helpful experiences in therapy, especially cognitive behaviour therapy, for social anxiety: They thought therapists did not always acknowledge the basis of their social fears, did not adapt the therapy process in an individualised way and did not understand neurodiversity or recognise neurodivergence. Our results suggest that social anxiety needs to be understood specifically in the context of autism, and if this is neglected, therapy is unlikely to be helpful. Based on participants’ comments, this article makes some practical recommendations for therapists supporting autistic adults with social anxiety.. Continue reading
Article Info
‘It’s not always textbook social anxiety’: A survey-based study investigating the nature of social anxiety and experiences of therapy in autistic people
in Autism 1–14 2024 https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361324125151
Alexander C Wilson and Fiona Gullon-Scott
School of Psychology, Newcastle University, Dame Margaret Barbour Building, Wallace Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE2 4DR, UK
Coming soon on this topic: A survey of 2022-2024 research.
Dr. Edmund J.S. Sonuga-Barke
The rise of the neurodiversity movement has strengthened calls for neurodivergent peoples’ involvement in research into neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. However, to date, the scale and scope of the influence of neurodivergent young people on the conduct of research that may eventually directly affect their lives has typically been limited to membership of patient and public involvement (PPI) panels. Such committees are typically constituted outside the main research team and give arms-length advice on matters such as acceptability, engagement and implementation. Such panels are now regarded as essential standard practice for clinically oriented studies. Few doubt that they have improved the conduct of clinical research by increasing the acceptability, appropriateness and ecological validity of methods. The dissemination of research findings and implementation of interventions have likely also become more effective because of them. Continue reading
Article Info
Participatory translational science of neurodivergence: model for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism research
in The British Journal of Psychiatry (2024) 224, 127–131. doi: 10.1192/bjp.2023.151
Edmund J.S. Sonuga-Barke, et al.
School of Academic Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
Coming soon on this topic: A survey of 2022-2024 research.
Dr. Megan Ann Neff
The presentation of ADHD in adults is often poorly understood, making adults with undiagnosed ADHD vulnerable to being diagnosed and treated for co-occurring mood disorders while their ADHD is missed (Schiweck et al., 2021). When the underlying ADHD is diagnosed and treated, the mood symptoms often improve. So why a ten-week series on ADHD and misdiagnoses? To answer this question, let me borrow the words of Schiweck et al., 2021: “Studies have concluded that emotional dysregulation is a distinctive attribute of adult ADHD psychopathology. However, these symptoms may be misdiagnosed as a mood disorder. Similarly, ADHD symptoms may be masked by substance use. Physicians are often more familiar with mood and anxiety disorders, which may contribute to misdiagnosis and delays in treating ADHD in adults. It has been suggested that stress, depression, and anxiety could manifest as a consequence of undiagnosed and untreated ADHD.” Continue reading
Article Info
ADHD vs. Bipolar
in neurodivergentinsights.com
Megan Ann Neff, PhD
Coming soon on this topic: A survey of 2022-2024 research.
Nikki Rutter, MA
“Filial harm” refers to harms experienced by a parent and caused by their child, with increasing umbrella terminology developing to capture all forms of harm despite differing experiences and contexts. In this paper, based on a Glaserian Grounded Theory study underpinned by participatory research principles, this work utilized diaries and interactive interviews with 34 parents and arts-based workshops with 21 children to develop a new terminology and approach to child and adolescent-to-parent violence and abuse when harm does not have a clear intent. Explosive and harmful impulses refer to preadolescents experiencing proactive, reactive, affective, and relational harms and needs. These specific forms of filial harm are based upon underlying needs, and the maladaptive ways children may attempt to meet their needs result in filial harm as an unintended consequence rather than being a form of harm with intent. Using an approach that captures subsections of filial harm, there is opportunity to better represent the nuance of individual family experiences and could provide more appropriate language and interventions that better represent the language used by families themselves. Continue reading
Article Info
Explosive and Harmful Impulses: A Subset of Child and Adolescent-to-Parent Violence and Abuse
in Journal of Interpersonal Violence 1–26 2024 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241244470
Nikki Rutter
Department of Sociology, Durham University, 32 Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HN, UK
Coming soon on this topic: A survey of 2022-2024 research.
Dr. Hannah Hobson
Neurodiversity is increasingly discussed in relation to autism research and practice. However, there is a lack of scholarship concerning the neurodevelopmental condition of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and the neurodiversity movement. While this movement may hold opportunities for the DLD community, the application of the concept of neurodiversity to DLD research and practice needs consideration, as DLD and autism have very different levels of public and professional awareness and understanding. In this article, we discuss what the concept of neurodiversity and the associated neurodiversity movement could mean for DLD research and practice. We aim to critique some assumptions that may arise from the application of neurodiversity principles (or assumed principles) to the field of DLD. Continue reading
Article Info
Developmental language disorder and neurodiversity: Surfacing contradictions, tensions and unanswered questions
in Int J Lang Commun Disord. 2024;59:1505–1516
Hannah M Hobson 1, Umar Toseeb 2, Jenny L Gibson 3
1 Department of Psychology, University of York, York, UK
2 Department of Education, University of York, York, UK
3 Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
Coming soon on this topic: A survey of 2022-2024 research.
Dr. Kylie Maidment
Neurodivergent kids have a greater propensity for co-occurring mental health challenges (most commonly depression, anxiety and OCD). If your child has ADHD or autism, they may also have an anxiety disorder such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is characterized by recurrent, unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive, ritualistic behaviours or mental acts (compulsions). These obsessions and compulsions can significantly impact a child’s daily life, causing distress, anxiety, and interference with their ability to function. Obsessions are persistent and uncontrollable thoughts, images, or urges that are intrusive and cause distress. They often revolve around themes such as cleanliness, orderliness, symmetry, contamination, or harm. Examples of obsessions include fear of germs, excessive concern with symmetry or exactness, disturbing or aggressive thoughts, or a need for things to be “just right.” Compulsions are a little different – these are repetitive behaviours or mental acts that a child feels they need to perform in response to their obsessions. These may be obvious, for example excessive handwashing, repeated checking, tapping a pattern, arranging or organizing things in a specific way, or seeking reassurance from others (this may take the form of excessive questioning). However, many compulsions are not obvious, for example, a child may count silently in their head or repeat certain numbers and sequences to feel “safe”. In addition, a child may go to great lengths to hide these behaviours. Both children and adults with OCD are very aware that the cycle of obsessions and compulsions is irrational, but they may feel driven to perform them as they alleviate anxiety (even if this is only temporary). Continue reading