The focus on disability has had as a result that neurodivergent persons were seen as patients who need treatment. A status of disability also had the impact that there was no focus on the abilities, but on the limitations. The effect of this all was and still is in many situations that neurodivergent persons experience isolation and barriers in functioning in daily life. It already starts early in life.
 

“ Children with a diagnosis are forced to develop a coping strategy to survive as an “exception”. The best known are the task-oriented, the emotion-oriented and the avoidance strategies. Adults automatically and subconsciously deploy the strategy they developed as children when faced with situations that remind them of the past.” (Wetenschap, Nel Hofmeester)
 

Adding Casus

 

An important shift in thinking is the recognition that brains can differ profoundly, but that they are differences and not disorders.

Through this approach the focus can be on the abilities, talents and potential of neurodivergent persons. It also means that the person themselves should be in control.

Neurodiversity should be a paradigm that treats neurodiversity more from the “social model” as a natural variation in strengths and weakness that bestow talents as well as strengths.

 

Developments in the area of inclusion and participation of neurodivergent persons 

Thinking of about neurodiversity as a type of disability has been damaging to neurodivergent persons.

In the field of disability is experienced that the focus on limitations instead of abilities is a barrier for inclusion and participation in society.

This can be shown as follows.

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 3

Institutional reform  period

(defect paradigm)

De-institutionalisation period

Development paradigm

Community membership period

(citizen paradigm)

 

Phase 1 is also called the defect paradigm. The defect paradigm is based on the individual human being with his limitations. In this approach man is seen as a biological object and organism that may or may not have defects that can be remedied. If such a limitation means that someone can no longer comply with the accepted norms and values in society, it is considered a disability. Disabled people were admitted to institutions remote from civilization. Isolation from society was considered necessary not only to provide proper care for the disabled, but also to protect society from disabled people.
 

Phase 2 is also called the development paradigm. According to this paradigm, disabled people should be able to lead an existence as close to normal as possible. They are no longer seen as patients, but as ordinary people with special needs and with their own development potential. These developments have led to de-institutionalisation. However, the wishes of people with disabilities were still little taken into account. The basis of the thinking lay in the division into categories: people in need of care and “normal” people. This is also referred to as “normalization”. The normalization then becomes down to: allowing the disabled person to live in an environment of the “standard person”. Especially in this period, the number of specialised facilities within the care sector and education has grown strongly.  
 

Phase 3 is also called the citizen paradigm. The citizen paradigm is based on the idea that a person with a disability can give form and content to his existence as an equal citizen in society.

The emphasis is on the principle of equality. People with a disability have the same rights as others, they have equal rights and must be given equal opportunities. Phase 3 should lead to a situation where persons with disabilities are integrated into society in such a way that they can be present and participate in it.

“Developing a positive disability identity has been linked to social support and psychological well-being (Bogart, 2014). It may also buffer negative experiences such as discrimination and micro-aggressions (Bogart et all., 2018: Branscombe et al, 1999).”

The labelling of neurodivergent persons had a big negative impact on them. Many of them were not seen ad “normal” people, but as patients and disabled. However nowadays still many neurodivergent persons are labelled as disabled. The focus was on limitations, which created barriers in their personal development and growth.

The idea, from a Human Rights perspective, that every person is unique, a citizen, with equal rights is an important step forward. It also give space to focus on abilities, on talents. The idea only is not enough. It must also be made possible that neurodivergent persons can really participate and be included in society.

An active role is played by  experiential experts. They created a neurodiversity model which is mentioned in the chapter before.
 

“The neurodiversity model puts people with special brains in an equal position, starts from their qualities and gives control over their lives to themselves.” (Wetenschap, Nel Hofmeester)