Endorsement of the Neurodiversity Framework and Self-Esteem Among Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults

Abstract

Background:

Many autistic individuals struggle with poor mental health and low self-esteem, in part, due to internalized stigma. Given the strengths-based perspective of the neurodiversity framework, it is likely that endorsing it or its subcomponents could serve as a protective factor against poor mental health and low self-esteem among autistic individuals.

Methods:

The present study sought to investigate (1) the relationship between endorsement of the neurodiversity framework and self-esteem and (2) whether this relationship differed between autistic and non-autistic adults. A diverse sample of 123 autistic adults and 104 non-autistic adults living in the United States completed an online survey.

Results:

Autistic participants reported having significantly lower self-esteem compared with non-autistic participants. We conducted linear regressions, with aspects of the neurodiversity framework as predictor variables, autism status as the moderator, self-esteem as the criterion variable, and demographic differences between autistic and non-autistic samples as control variables. There was a significant interaction between autism status and the Autism as Difference subscale of the neurodiversity framework in predicting self-esteem. In particular, endorsing this facet of the neurodiversity framework was associated with significantly higher self-esteem for autistic participants compared with autistic individuals who endorsed low levels of this facet. However, there was no difference in self-esteem for non-autistic participants who endorsed different levels of the Autism as Difference subscale.

Conclusion:

Although autistic participants indicate worse self-esteem than non-autistic participants, endorsing aspects of the neurodiversity framework may have a buffering effect on this relationship by mitigating aspects of internalized stigma. Further work must be conducted to elucidate causal relations, but the present study sets a foundation for improving mental health in autistic adults.

Community Brief

Why is this an important issue?

A lot of autistic people have low self-esteem, meaning that a lot of autistic people have negative feelings about themselves. There are many reasons for this. One possible reason is that autistic people believe the negative things that society says about autism and autistic people. People who do not agree with these negative messages about autism have different ways of thinking about autism. In contrast to the medical model, the neurodiversity framework is a different way of thinking about brain differences, such as autism. It says that people with brain differences are valuable just the way they are, and that other people should accept them.

What was the purpose of this study?

As researchers, we wanted to see whether agreeing with the neurodiversity framework was related to self-esteem in autistic adults. We also wanted to see whether the relationship between agreeing with the neurodiversity framework and self-esteem differed between autistic and non-autistic adults.

What did the researchers do?

We asked people to complete an online survey, and 227 of them gave us complete answers to the questions. We analyzed the results from these 227 people. The survey asked about self-esteem and agreement with the neurodiversity framework. We split up the neurodiversity framework into three parts: (1) disagreeing with negative attitudes toward autism, (2) thinking that autism is permanent and unchangeable, and (3) thinking that autism is just a difference and not a problem.

What were the results of the study?

We found that autistic people reported lower self-esteem than non-autistic people. We also found that, among autistic people, thinking autism is just a difference and not a problem was related to higher self-esteem. However, among non-autistic people, thinking autism is just a difference was not related to higher self-esteem.

What do these findings add to what was already known?

Our findings agree with other research that says that autistic people have lower self-esteem than non-autistic people. The research adds to what was already known by identifying how the neurodiversity framework might be helpful for autistic people’s self-esteem.

What are the potential weaknesses in the study?

This was a correlational study and not an experiment. This means that we could not see whether agreeing with certain aspects of the neurodiversity framework caused higher self-esteem.

How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?

These findings are a good first step for thinking about how to improve self-esteem in autistic adults in the future. Our findings may be helpful as a base for other researchers to find plans to improve mental health for autistic people.