Open Society

He can’t sell himself for $100,000 per afternoon by arguing for real solutions to the problems bedeviling our children, but he can jump on…

Or, why we are more progressive with our dogs than our children

Is neurodiversity scientific? It’s an interesting question, which perhaps hasn’t received as much attention as it deserves.

Or, why we are more progressive with our dogs than our children

We round up our most notable autism stories of the past 12 months.

Dr Aspasia Paltoglou (Manchester Metropolitan University) hears from her colleague, Dr Rossella Sorte, about being ED&I Lead Representative for Neurodiversity, and more.

“Bands made up of women who fight for their voices to be heard, stay true to themselves, and don’t seem to care if they’re disliked? I had entered in to special-interest territory.”

Abstract. This essay is focused on (post)subculture and disability, and specifically on the popular musical subculture of punk rock. It considers the exten

As a lonely and misfit teenager, the ethos of punk deeply resonated with me. It wasn’t until later in life that I realised why. Here are a few ways in which I feel the punk ethos parallels with Autistic traits and the Neurodivergent community…

Listen now | In this episode, Matt and Angela explore how punk culture and neurodivergence intersect, highlighting the ways subcultures can serve as a refuge for authenticity and self-discovery.

When we trust progressive media outlets as both intellectually rigorous and socially just, their ableism goes (dangerously) unchecked.

The following mixed methods dissertation examines experiences of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) from the perspective of autistic people, parents, and ABA providers in Canada. Using survey and interview analysis, this study explores a growing divide in standpoints regarding ABA as a method of treating and supporting autistic young people. Autistic people across the globe have shared their lived experiences of the ways ABA has caused them harm, and often trauma, due to the rigidly applied reward and punishment strategies that were used to make them appear less autistic and more neurotypical. Yet, ABA remains the most recommended autism intervention in Ontario. To understand this problem more in-depth, the methodology adopts a Critical Autism Studies (CAS) framework, and transformative explanatory sequential mixed methods design, to seek autistic justice. The four-staged methodology (surveys – interviews – analysis – participatory dissemination with co-authorship of policy and practice directions with autistic participants) responds to Damian Milton’s (2014) call for “interactional expertise” between non-autistic researchers and autistic people to improve autism practice and policies through a strength-based understanding of autism. Eight participants with either positive or negative experiences with ABA (4 autistic people, 2 parents, and 2 ABA providers) were purposively sampled for interviews from a total of 100 survey respondents. Using a mix of quantitative analyses followed by open text box responses and eight “Stories Behind the Statistics”, the research aimed to explore the questions: What are the impacts of ABA services on autistic people’s well-being and quality of life (QoL)? Are ABA services meeting the needs of autistic people? As the research progressed, two new research questions emerged: In what ways do power and stigma influence experiences with ABA interventions? How can diverse autistic expertise transform autism intervention practices and policy? Findings did not reveal compelling evidence that ABA is an approach that improves the quality of life or wellbeing of autistic people. While some respondents shared positive experiences of ABA, findings revealed evidence of harm, which raises ethical concerns about the services received by autistic people in capitalist colonial societies. The dissertation concludes with recommendations co-authored with four autistic recipients of ABA.

A collaboratively developed annotated reading list expands upon core themes in neurodiversity, aiming to enhance understanding and to promote rigorous, destigmatizing, and inclusive practices in research.

We used an online task-switching task to explore how task predictability and sex affect cognitive flexibility in autistic individuals. Our findings show that increased predictability improves perform...

People with schizophrenia suffer from hallucinations and delusions as well as from significant cognitive impairments. Working memory is a critical resource for ...

Autistic advocates emphasise the need for neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based approaches to support services; however, little is known about broader co...

Resurgence is the recurrence of target behavior (e.g., challenging behavior) during a worsening of reinforcement conditions (e.g., increases in response effort, decreases in alternative reinforcement...

Choice involves engaging in a selection response when multiple options are concurrently available. Choices can be incorporated into many components of behavior-analytic treatment such as providing cl...

There has been a great deal of debate over the meaning of the term neurodivergent and what it actually applies to. In fact, despite having a very clear definition, it has been a source of contention in neurodiversity circles for some time.

The 16-year-old has been home schooled after suffering meltdowns on the way to school.

Attachment patterns show up in ALL of our significant relationships, not just romantic ones. Our attachment patterns develop through each of our significant relationships in childhood, potentially including parents, non-parental caregivers, grandparents, siblings, teachers, coaches, and childhood fr

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They also might signal a weakening economy.

New paper! 🧵 Exploring Neurodiversity: An Annotated Reading List 🧵 We annotate 9 themes for readers interested in neurodiversity, including the history of neurodiversity, embracing neurodivergent voices, and shifting perspectives on autism, ADHD, and more. Paper is here: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.102467

A collaboratively developed annotated reading list expands upon core themes in neurodiversity, aiming to enhance understanding and to promote rigorous, destigmatizing, and inclusive practices in research.

Why is life hard for us sometime and what can help? Meltdowns, Shutdowns, Burnout, Masking, Unmasking, Medication, Self-harm...

An introduction to the limbic system. Meet the Panic Monkey and the Dino Brain. The process of a meltdown and how panic monkey and dino brain can help

Autistic Parents UK members share what Autistic joy means to them.