AIR-P Presents: How can we use an understanding of the neurodiversity movement to develop socially valid supports for autistic people?

After introducing common aims and controversies surrounding the neurodiversity movement, we will empirically examine how support for the neurodiversity movement intersects with perspectives about socially valid “intervention” goals among autistic and non-autistic stakeholders. For example, supporting the neurodiversity movement is associated with rejecting normalization-oriented “interventions” while seeking societal reform and supportive environments. Next, we will discuss why it is so essential to develop socially valid supports for autistic people by exploring new research examining factors that impact the mental health of autistic young people, such as the age at which they learn they are autistic and social satisfaction. We will highlight the importance of taking an intersectional approach to developing supports for neurodivergent people, with a particular focus on the need for neurodivergent people to see their diverse identities understood and represented among helping professionals. Lastly, we will provide examples of ways that autistic and non-autistic people can collaborate to help others appreciate autism and develop more accessible practices.