Navigating neurodiversity: the experiences of neurodiverse people and the people who support them

Abstract

The neurodiversity movement has gained momentum in the last number of years with many neurodevelopmental conditions now being part of a person’s identity and not just medical disorders. With this, more researchers have become interested in the experiences of neurodiverse people as well as their families and carers. However, some people have remained neglected in the literature including autistic women and the siblings of people with disabilities. We conducted a systematic review into the experiences of siblings of people with learning disabilities and a novel qualitative study focusing on the experiences of autistic women and mothers of autistic daughters going through the diagnostic process. Several themes were elicited and discussed, giving voice to these often overlooked groups. Results show that the siblings and women engaging in the diagnostic process for autism had unique experiences and these people’s perspectives offer an interesting insight into how neurodiverse people can be supported. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.