What is Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice?

My Ph.D. dissertation — Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice: Through the Lens of Lived Autistic Experience — explored neurodiversity-affirming practice from the perspectives of 30 autistic adults, using a grounded theory methodology.

The findings showed

• When a service is neurodiversity-affirming, the practitioner's clinical lens must be informed by the neurodiversity paradigm and the social model of disability.
• Key factors influencing neurodiversity-affirming practice include the approaches, environments, and actions of service providers.
• These factors impact the experience the neurodivergent person has — and their subsequent impact on society.

The findings emphasize the importance of neurodiversity-affirming practices not only for the mental health and wellbeing of neurodivergent individuals, but for the promotion of societal change.

You can read the full dissertation at UBC's Open Collections.