Neurodivergence in academia

Some difficult issues are mentioned later in this piece. It may be a difficult post to read if you are not in a good headspace right now. I encourage you to instead read any of the other SEAS blog posts. 😊

Black and white photograph of waves crashing on a rocky beach, with islands in the background
Captured by Paul Dees. Contact for high quality image.

I will briefly define some words here: neurodiverse is a term I use here to describe individuals with a different mental or neurological function than the general population. Autism, bipolar and ADHD are all different neurotypes. Neurotypicals was coined as a term to distinguish neurodivergent from those who aren’t: their neurotype is therefore typical.

To mask, or to hide, is an important choice to be made by neurodiverse individuals. Masking is a term first coined in 2010 to mean someone with ADHD presenting in a way similar to those not experiencing this neurotype (Barkley, 2010). It has since been used to describe anyone who is neurodiverse presenting as a neurotypical. This can be done consciously by those who wish to keep the way their mind works hidden, or unconsciously by those who are not yet aware they are neurodiverse. Disclosing means that they will tell their employers and colleagues something deeply personal, often before they have been employed. Each of these choices has important perceived advantages and disadvantages, and without knowing more it is difficult for individuals to know the correct choice.

Neurodivergent children have often grown experiencing bullying from their peers and being misunderstood by parents and teachers. In this context, it is perhaps unsurprising that many will still attempt to mask, or to pretend that they are neurotypical, in their adult working life. To use a common phrase, “this works until it doesn’t”. Neurodivergent people are often discouraged from showing their joy in an authentic way, because it can make neurotypicals feel uncomfortable. This masking has therefore often resulted in increased stress and anxiety, exhaustion, depression, burn-out, self-harm, and suicide ideation. Undiagnosed masking can cause the same results as other kinds of masking. Masking and inequalities in how challenging it is to obtain a diagnosis mean the only exposure many people have to neurodivergent thinking is through (often harmful) stereotypes in the media portrayed in Rain Man, Atypical, or Homeland.

Disclosure can result in improved first impressions of autistic people by their neurotypical peers (Sasson and Morrison, 2019). However, disclosing can also result in alienation or misunderstanding due to others’ knowledge being based on media stereotypes. A quick Google search of “should I disclose my autism diagnosis” results in findings relating to fear of being ostracised to peer groups, being targeted by potential bullies in school, or passed over for interviews in a job-seeking situation. Regardless of the legal protections in employment situations, this fear is unfortunately well-founded and has been built by experience. If disclosing a diagnosis of autism ultimately improves the treatment of neurodivergent people, there must first be an attempt to build up trust by neurotypicals.

The SEAS (Shaping European Research Leaders for Marine Sustainability) programme is focussed on training scientists for leadership. It is important for early career researchers such as ourselves to show that we are welcoming people from different backgrounds and have different ways of thinking. In the wider world, it has been widely acknowledged that diversity of culture, gender and thought is an important driver of innovation (Kirkby and Smith, 2021; Rock and Grant, 2016). Diversity of any kind, and specifically neurodiversity, has no effect on the level of individual intelligence. Academia has historically been beset with many structural issues, and should actively be encouraging and welcoming as much diversity as possible into its “ivory towers”.

It is an oft repeated phrase that you don’t need to be particularly intelligent to graduate as a PhD. You do, however, need to be focussed on a limited topic for a long period. It would also be advantageous if you could muster enthusiasm and excitement everytime you talk about it. In this context, the intense focus and what has in the past been called obsessive interests shown by neurodiverse people should be a metaphorical beacon of light to draw in as many of us as possible. The advantages of being autistic in academia have recently been made clear (Jones, 2022), and have also been wonderfully described in NeuroTribes (Silberman, 2015).

I am an autistic person, and I have been made to feel welcome in the SEAS programme and in the wider UiB community. I recognise that my experience is not necessarily representative and a lot of other universities and groups are not as welcoming. I want this post to show that it is important to actively try to increase all kinds of diversity inside academia, including neurodiversity. This welcome should extend beyond a tick-box on an application form, and employers and leaders should be prepared to provide accommodations needed for everyone to feel comfortable. I hope that by identifying myself to my colleagues and the wider research community, present and future leaders will help to welcome more diversity into our places of work.

 

 

Barkley, RA. (2010) Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. Guilford Press.

Jones, S. C. (2022). Autistics working in academia: What are the barriers and facilitators?. Autism, https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613221118158.

Kirby, A., & Smith, T. (2021). Neurodiversity at work: Drive innovation, performance and productivity with a neurodiverse workforce. Kogan Page Publishers.

Rock, D. and Grant, H (2016). Why diverse teams are smarter. https://www.agileleanhouse.com/lib/lib/Topics/Teams/Why%20Diverse%20Teams%20Are%20Smarter.pdf

Sasson, N. J., & Morrison, K. E. (2019). First impressions of adults with autism improve with diagnostic disclosure and increased autism knowledge of peers. Autism, 23(1), 50–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361317729526

Silberman, S. (2015). NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (New York: Penguin Random House).

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