Open Society

Rethinking Mental Health Beyond The Medical Gaze

Gentle, neuroaffirming resources created by and for Autistic adults.

Trigger Warning: This episode explores themes like death, substance use, and incarceration. Viewer discretion is advised. Episode 2: “Falling Through the Cra...

Cargo

This podcast is a discussion about our recent article: "Towards autistic flow theory: a non-pathologising conceptual approach". You can access the article h...

What if our previous teachings and beliefs regarding processing stimuli, reading emotions and understanding human behaviour is all untrue? In this book, Peter Vermeulen investigates new findings on the predictive brain and what these insights mean for autism and current interventions. Recent research has shown that the classic ideas about how the human brain first needs to process incoming information about the world before it can react are no longer tenable. Rather, to survive in the volatile

This paper explores the inequitable treatment of the Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled and Autistic (IDD/A) population in the criminal justice system. Although progress has been made over the past century with understanding the unique needs of this population, they still face challenges at all stages of the criminal justice system. Behavioral, social skills, and sensory challenges make it difficult for the IDD/A population to avoid criminal justice contact and to understand the criminal justice process. Insufficient training for police and attorneys harms both persons with IDD/A and criminal justice professionals. This paper examines current practices in place that are barriers to equitable justice to individuals with IDD/A and discusses the lack of knowledge criminal professionals have regarding this population. Changes to be implemented to prevent persons with IDD/A from making contact with the criminal justice system and systemic changes to interactions with law enforcement and attorneys, court proceedings, and sentencing are reviewed. This paper discusses where multiple stakeholders can make improvements so all persons can receive equitable justice.

Explore millions of resources from scholarly journals, books, newspapers, videos and more, on the ProQuest Platform.

Background: Previous studies have identified high rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism in incarcerated populations. Despite such findings and the potential benefits of screening for undiagnosed autism and ADHD at earlier stages of police contact, such efforts are rare. Aims: To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of screening of arrested individuals for ADHD and autistic traits while in police custody. Methods: Over an 8-week period, individuals arrested and detained at six police custody centres in London, UK, were offered screening for ADHD and autistic traits. ADHD traits were assessed using a modified version of the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and autistic traits using the 10-item Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ-10). Screening was carried out in person at the custody site by a healthcare professional, designated detention officer, or arresting police officer. Individuals who screened above the thresholds (≥21 for ASRS, ≥6 for AQ-10) were informed and provided additional information on how to seek a formal diagnosis. Results: Of 303 eligible arrestees, 216 (71.3%) consented to screening. The screening tools identified 50% and 5% of arrestees without an existing diagnosis of the respective condition as warranting further assessment for ADHD and autism. ADHD and autism trait scores were correlated (r = 0.30, p < 0.01). Nearly 60% of individuals arrested for drug offences had an existing diagnosis or positive screening result for ADHD. Conclusions: Our findings indicate high rates of ADHD and autistic traits in arrestees without an existing diagnosis of that condition— particularly among individuals arrested for drug offences. Moreover, we find that screening for ADHD and autistic traits is acceptable to most arrestees and can be completed by existing staff present at custody centres. Future research should evaluate the impact of such screening on future diagnoses, access to support, and progress through the criminal justice system.

Recognising and understanding that a child might be autistic is an important first step in the autism diagnostic pathway. For many families, this process involves working alongside school staff and, ...

This study aimed to elicit and analyze the views and preferences of a variety of AAC stakeholders regarding terminology related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and the people wh...

Beyond Stress And Exhaustion

From A.D.H.D. to anxiety, disorders have risen as the expectations of childhood have changed.

PDF | In this concluding commentary for our special issue, Neurodiversity-Affirming Intersectional Approaches that Target Public Policy: Moving the... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

Moving From Disability Rights to Disability Justice

"The risk following vaccination is substantially lower than the risk following infection".

What does it mean to live at the intersection of autism, physical disability, trauma, and resilience? In Autism and Physical Disability, Wenn B. Lawson shares a deeply personal account of late-diagnosed autism shaped by decades of misdiagnosis, physical and emotional pain, and a lifetime of mistrust born from trauma. Animals, birds, and the natural world become sources of solace, offering a pathway back to meaning and connection. This narrative blends lived experience with research, opening a rare window into the life of an older, trans, disabled autistic person who chose self-acceptance, love, and hope over despair. It challenges readers to confront the overlooked struggles of autistic people while providing a roadmap of resilience, healing, and reconciliation. Autism and Physical Disability is a story of survival and transformation, but also a call to reimagine how society understands, supports, and values neurodivergent and disabled lives. Ideal for students, researchers, practitioners, and educators in psychology, social work, special education, occupational therapy, mental health, and medical training.

Alice had the ability to look to the future and a world where laws and attitudes did not keep disabled people poor, pitied, and isolated.

Autism, ADHD, Lived Experience and Inclusion—What’s New in November

Eye contact is one of the most important forms of interpersonal communication. Nonetheless, research has shown that there is no gold standard for how eye contact should occur. Atypicalities in eye contact are one of the core features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but there is still no consensus on what constitutes atypical eye contact in ASD. The current research explores both the breadth and depth of experiences with eye contact in adults with and without ASD. We used a hermeneutic phenomenological multicenter design in which 15 adults with ASD and 15 adults without ASD were interviewed. Analyses using Multisite Qualitative Analysis (MSQA) and the PRICE model for saturation identified four themes: opinion on eye contact, experience of eye contact, approach toward eye contact, and needs regarding eye contact. Adults with and without ASD appeared to have overlapping and distinct experiences. This study provides the first insights into similarities and differences in experiences with eye contact in adults with and without ASD. The results provide guidance for future research and for the development of interventions to reduce problems arising from eye contact in ASD.