Written by: Savanna Payne
Edited by: Jonathan Cina
Famous civil rights activist Audre Lorde stated, “It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences.” Advocacy for the awareness of mental health has always been a path of challenges and controversy. While in recent years, the support and research on many mental health topics have grown exponentially, new conflicts within the mental health community have also arisen. One topic that has received some of the most significant attention and development is autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition frequently marked by differences in social processing, learning, and behavior. Commonly diagnosed in early childhood–with an average diagnosis at around age five–autism can have a diverse presentation across different individuals’ symptoms and needs (Baumer, 2021). These differences in expression have not only led to disagreements over treatment and research, but also conflicts over how autism should and should not be perceived–which is heavily debated in the neurodiversity paradigm. What first emerged as only discussions within small online communities in the late 1990s, neurodiversity is now a global self-advocated movement that promotes the diversity of human minds through an individual’s unique interaction and experiences with their environment (Heyworth, 2024). The neurodiversity movement has been especially involved in the promotion of autonomy in how autism is treated. With the support of individualism and diversity at its peak, individuals who identify as neurodiverse and their supporters have begun to show pushback on the stagnancy of traditional views in psychotherapy. While neurodiversity has already shown promising benefits toward the autism community, factors like recent research and growing social media trends have shown unclear indications on what next steps psychologists might take.
The expanding reach of neurodiversity advocacy through social media has shown mixed results both within and outside the autism community. The use of social media has skyrocketed in recent years, with popular apps like TikTok having over 4.1 billion downloads since its launch in 2016, including record-breaking downloads during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Dean, 2024). Social media apps have greatly increased the awareness of many mental health topics, especially on the advocacy of autism. Many TikTok users have begun sharing content on common aspects of this neurodevelopmental condition, but also how their personal experiences with autism has impacted them. Before long, a diverse community, bound together by their unique “struggles” and “quirks”, began to show a positive impact on thousands of neurodivergent individuals, with many viewing the unique community as an “accessible” safe space (Wickramasinghe, 2022b). However, with the community’s growing influence, researchers are beginning to question the accuracy of the information being publicly shared.
One study analyzed a large sample of TikTok videos on autism education that included users that identified themselves as healthcare practitioners and professionals, as well as both autistic creators (AC) or non-autistic creators (non-ACs). However, the credibility of the creators did not reflect the reliability of their content. After all the videos were carefully analyzed, a whopping 41% were classified as inaccurate and 32% were considered to be overgeneralized. (Aragon-Guevara et al., 2023). Although raising awareness on online social platforms can allow for greater advocacy to a broader target audience, it can also do more harm than good if not properly carried out.
The increasing influence of the neurodiversity movement on social and psychological aspects of autism accommodation has given rise to new perspectives on autism treatment. The values and goals of the movement have always prioritized the individual’s needs and quality of life before the expectations of society–including the opinions of psychological professionals. The typical ASD treatment prioritizes expanding an individual’s level of independent functioning. This can include maximizing what an individual can do independently, but it also may require minimizing certain “problem behaviors” as well. While this is a common practice seen in many behavioral therapies, more modern views of the importance of autism autonomy not only disagree with this approach, but warn about its possible consequences (Pellicano & den Houting, 2021). A research study done by Kathy Leadbitter and colleagues has noted how the medical paradigm’s objectives on early intervention is especially controversial within the neurodiversity community. The notion of “normalizing” certain behaviors to make a person “less autistic” can lead to masking, a method of “camouflaging” or suppressing behaviors associated with symptoms of autism. Masking behaviors that are traditionally seen as “autistic” can impact an individuals’ self-esteem and their ability to cope in distressing situations, a common consequence seen in many school environments (Leadbitter et al., 2021). Recent developing perspectives that promote neurodiversity argue for a more strength-based approach that works with the individual to build their self-confidence and maintain their quality of life. The integration of more neurodiverse treatment methods, that includes rather than excludes the expression of autism, can not only produce more effective and ethical methods of helping the neurodivergent community, but also better confront unconscious microaggressions and biases that may go unnoticed in the psychotherapy field.
Well known New York journalist and autism advocate, Harvey Blume, stated, “I wish for a day, where saying that ‘I identify as neurodiverse,’ isn't a shocking thing to anyone. ‘Yeah, okay, cool. And the sky is blue’” (Wickramasinghe, 2022a). Although the neurodiversity movement is not perfect nor agreed upon by psychologists and members of the autism community alike, the goals of Harvey Blume seem to be closer than ever before. The overarching intentions of the neurodiversity movement are to allow every individual to be accepted as they are, regardless of who they are. With the neurodiversity movement continuing to grow and expand in its reach, new methods of supporting the uniqueness of the individual will continue to take root in the very foundation of society. The biodiversity of humankind has always been as intrinsic to our species as oxygen is to our functioning. The diversity of human minds is far more complex than the black-and-white perceptions of who is “neurodiverse” and who is “neurotypical.” While more challenges will inevitably be faced, and more perspectives may arise, the infinite diversity of the human condition will remain constant.
References:
Aragon-Guevara, D., Castle, G., Sheridan, E., & Vivanti, G. (2023). The Reach and Accuracy of Information on Autism on TikTok. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-06084-6
Baumer, N., & Frueh, J. (2021, November 23). What is neurodiversity? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-neurodiversity-202111232645#:~:text=The%20word%20neurodiversity%20refers%20to
Heyworth, M. (2021, December 6). Introduction to Autism, Part 5: Neurodiversity (What is it and why do we care?) - Reframing Autism. https://reframingautism.org.au/introduction-to-autism-part-5-neurodiversity-what-is-it-and-why-do-we-care/
Leadbitter, K., Buckle, K. L., Ellis, C., & Dekker, M. (2021). Autistic Self-Advocacy and the Neurodiversity Movement: Implications for Autism Early Intervention Research and Practice. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(12). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635690
Pellicano, E., & den Houting, J. (2021). Annual Research Review: Shifting from “normal science” to neurodiversity in autism science. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13534
Wickramasinghe, A. (2022a, April 19). NeuroDiverse Thoughts on Neurodiversity | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson. Www.thecrimson.com. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/4/19/wickramasinghe-neurodiverse-thoughts/
Wickramasinghe, A. (2022b, October 3). How Pandemic Era TikTok Bolstered the Neurodiversity Movement | Opinion | The Harvard Crimson. Www.thecrimson.com. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2022/10/3/wickramasinghe-neurodivergent-tiktok/
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