Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity is a concept that asserts that the idea of normal cognition is a false premise, based on the medical model of disability. The medical model of disability asserts differences as deficits that need to be “fixed” or “cured.” The social model of disability reconceptualizes disability as influenced by social, political, and cultural contexts, and assigning value to these differences. Neurodiversity, which was conceptualized by neurodivergent individuals, states that all humans are born with different cognitive strengths and skills and that differences in cognition are valuable and even important for human evolution and creativity. In the context of applied behavior analysis (ABA), advocates in the neurodiversity movement have pushed for a more flexible, more compassionate, and less ablelist approach to ABA supports for autistic people. The Master of Science in ABA program at USC is grateful for the education that the neurodiversity movement has provided to the field of ABA. In the context of services for autistic people, we value the voices of autistic people above all others. We live this value by engaging in honest, vulnerable, and frank discussions of the strengths and limitations of what we do in ABA and engage the neurodiversity movement as an opportunity to evolve the field of ABA toward greater inclusivity, flexibility, and less ableism. We believe that it is our ethical privilege and responsibility to center autistic voices in research, service, and education in ABA services for the autistic community.

Trauma Informed ABA with Brian Middleton, Neurodivergent Self-Advocate and BCBA

Understanding the Lived Experiences of Autistic Adults, with Dr. Sneha Mathur

Links

Neurodiversity Celebration Week: https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/

Recommended Readings

Angulo-Jimenez, H., & DeThorne, L. (2019). Narratives about autism: An analysis of YouTube videos by individuals who self-identify as autistic. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 28(2), 569–590. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018–AJSLP-18-0045

Ashby, C. E., & Causton-Theoharis, J. N. (2009). Disqualified in the human race: A close reading of the autobiographies of individuals identified as autistic. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 13(5), 501–516. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603110801886673

Autistic Self-Advocacy Network. (2016). Nothing about us without us. https://autisticadvocacy.org/home

Charlton, J. (1998). Nothing about us without us: Disability oppression and empowerment. University of California Press.

DePape, A.-M., & Lindsay, S. (2016). Lived experiences from the perspective of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 31(1), 60–71. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088357615587504

Murray, D., Lesser, M., & Lawson, W. (2005). Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism. Autism, 9(2), 139–156. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361305051398

Robertson, S. M. (2010). Neurodiversity, quality of life, and autistic adults: Shifting research and professional focuses onto real-life challenges. Disability Studies Quarterly, 30(1). https://doi.org/10.18061/dsq.v30i1.1069

Rosqvist, H..B., Chown, N. & Stenning A. (Eds.) (2020). Neurodiversity studies: A new critical paradigm. Routledge.

Silberman, S. (2015). Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity.
Penguin.

Strand, L. R. (2017). Charting relations between intersectionality theory and the neurodiversity paradigm. Disability Studies Quarterly, 37(2). https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/5374/4647

Walker, N. (2014, September 27). Neurodiversity: Some basic terms & definitions. Neurocosmopolitanism. http://neurocosmopolitanism.com/neurodiversity-some-basic-terms-definitions/

Recommended Books written by Autistic Adults

The best way to learn (and unlearn) about autism is by seeking out knowledge directly from autistic folks. The following is a non-exhaustive list of autistic memoires and autobiographies. If you know of more, please let us know!