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ERIC Number: EJ1479865
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Sep
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: EISSN-1461-7005
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Community Views of Neurodiversity, Models of Disability and Autism Intervention: Mixed Methods Reveal Shared Goals and Key Tensions
Patrick Dwyer1,2; Ava N. Gurba3,4; Steven K. Kapp5; Elizabeth Kilgallon6,7; Lynnette H. Hersh1,8; David S. Chang1; Susan M. Rivera1,9; Kristen Gillespie-Lynch10
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v29 n9 p2297-2314 2025
Controversies regarding the neurodiversity movement may be exacerbated by confusion over its meaning. For example, some suggest neurodiversity entails acceptance of the social model, whereas others describe it as more nuanced. We aimed to help resolve conflicting viewpoints by inviting insights from 504 autistic and autism community members (278 autistic, 226 non-autistic), including 100 researchers (41 autistic), 122 professionals (35 autistic) and 162 parents/caregivers (53 autistic). They rated the neurodiversity movement, social model, medical model and intervention goals, and answered open-ended questions regarding the meaning of neurodiversity, the neurodiversity movement and disability models. Neurodiversity movement support was associated with endorsing societal reform and making environments more supportive, and lower support for normalization and adaptive skill interventions, though teaching adaptive skills was widely supported overall. Although participants often suggested the social model attributes disability solely to society, this 'strong' view was not universal. 'Strong' social model supporters still endorsed some interventions targeting individuals' characteristics (specifically, teaching adaptive skills, curing depression and epilepsy). Findings confirm that neurodiversity movement supporters denounce normalization, but are open to individualized supports. Findings highlight strong support for autistic leadership (especially among autistic people, including autistic parents) and for societal reform, and suggest that oversimplified rhetoric may cause confusion regarding advocates' views.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University of California, Davis, USA; 2La Trobe University, Australia; 3Stony Brook University, USA; 4Drexel University, USA; 5University of Portsmouth, UK; 6Yale University, USA; 7University of Massachusetts Boston, USA; 8Alliant International University, USA; 9University of Maryland, USA; 10College of Staten Island & The Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA