When I was working as a paraprofessional in a therapeutic day school in the early 2000s for children with very, very high support needs, the staff loved to joke about everyone being “somewhere on the spectrum” or “everyone’s a little autistic.”
I served children with profound intellectual disabilities, who would need lifelong services. Now I realize how that kind of co-opting an identity is problematic. However, lots of us who worked in that space had the kind of minds that did differ from “typical” enough to lead us into that kind of work. Since then, a popular term for processing things differently has come into vogue: the term “neurodiverse.”
What does this mean? And how would it be different from a clinical diagnosis? These are important questions that cut across our sense of who we are, and most importantly, what we consider “typical” in our hyper-individualized society.
Key Takeaways
- Neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how human brains develop and function.
- Neurodivergence is not itself a clinical diagnosis.
- Psychological evaluation can help identify strengths, challenges, diagnoses, and appropriate supports.
What Is Neurodiversity?
The term neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how human brains develop, process information, communicate, learn, and experience the world. Rather than assuming that there is one “right” way for a brain to function, neurodiversity is a perspective that recognizes that differences in development are a natural part of human diversity. This concept is particularly relevant when discussing conditions such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other developmental or cognitive differences that are thought to be neurobiologically originating in some way. (PubMed Central (PMC))
This concept, while centering natural variation, does not discount or downplay the support needs that stretch across the variation in the human mind. No one would tell me, “Oh, you’re just vision-diverse, you should not be allowed to wear those glasses!” I would have a big problem with that, because then I couldn’t work, drive, or write this blog without doing some serious accommodation. My “vision-diversity” is supported in a way I can thrive.
Similarly, someone can experience genuine challenges related to the less obvious things a brain is responsible for, including:
- Attention
- Learning
- Communication
- Sensory processing
- Emotional regulation
Supports can meet people where they are while also helping them continue to grow skills to self-accommodate and thrive. Overall, a neurodiversity-informed perspective seeks to center an individual’s areas of difficulty and their strengths while understanding how they may differ from the average population.
What Is the Difference Between Neurodiversity, Neurodivergence, and Neurotypical?
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different things:
Neurodiversity refers to the variation itself. All human beings are part of neurodiversity because no two brains are exactly alike. Even identical twins are shaped by every microsecond of experience, leading to cascading differences in the neurons recruited for different activities. The term describes the broad range of neurological and cognitive differences found across the human population. (PubMed Central (PMC))
Neurodivergent describes a person whose neurodevelopment differs from what is generally considered typical. The term is commonly used by people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, intellectual disabilities, Tourette syndrome, and other neurological or developmental differences. There is no single universally agreed-upon list of who qualifies as “neurodivergent,” and that is probably a good thing!
Since the “divergent” part of neurodivergent really assumes there is a “normal path” and some brains “diverged” or swerved to a different pathway, I think this term is based on a false premise. Every unique brain arrives where it’s at on its own developmental path. Personally, who are we to say this or that swerve is too far or not far enough to be considered a divergence?
Neurotypical generally describes a person whose neurodevelopment and cognitive functioning fall within the range expected by society, medical, or educational systems. Neurotypical does not mean that someone has no challenges, mental health concerns, learning difficulties, or individual differences. It simply refers to neurological development that does not substantially diverge from what is considered typical. (PubMed Central (PMC))
A simple way to remember the distinction is:
- Neurodiversity: The range of neurological differences across people.
- Neurodivergent: An individual whose neurodevelopment differs from what is considered typical.
- Neurotypical: An individual whose neurodevelopment falls within the range generally considered typical.
Where Did the Term “Neurodiversity” Come From?
The history of the term is somewhat more complicated than it is sometimes presented. Australian sociologist Judy Singer is widely credited with developing and popularizing the concept of neurodiversity. In 1998, Singer wrote a sociology thesis examining the emergence of a social movement among autistic people and their allies. She drew an analogy between neurological diversity and biodiversity, proposing that differences in how people think and process information could be understood as a form of human diversity. (Psychology Today)
Journalist Harvey Blume also played an important role in introducing the word neurodiversity to a broader audience. Blume used the term in his 1998 article “Neurodiversity: On the Neurological Underpinnings of Geekdom,” published in The Atlantic. (Sage Journals)
More recent scholarship has added an important clarification: the concept of neurodiversity should not necessarily be attributed to one person. Researchers have found evidence that ideas about “neurological diversity” were already being discussed in online autistic communities during the mid-1990s. In particular, members of the Independent Living (InLv) online community were discussing neurological diversity before the term became widely known. One 2024 scholarly review therefore describes neurodiversity as a concept that was collectively developed within neurodivergent and autistic communities, with Singer and Blume playing important roles in articulating and popularizing it. (PubMed)
This history is worth noting because popular understanding of the concept of neurodiversity grew in large part from the experiences and advocacy of neurodiverse people themselves. The movement challenged the idea that differences should always be viewed solely through a deficit or disorder-based framework and encouraged greater attention to disability rights, accessibility, individual strengths, and the environments in which people live and learn.
How Does Neurodiversity Inform Psychological Evaluation?
A neurodiversity-informed approach does not require clinicians to ignore symptoms, diagnoses, or areas of impairment. Instead, it encourages a more complete understanding of the individual. Psychological and neuropsychological evaluation can help identify how a person learns, processes information, regulates emotions, communicates, and responds to their environment, as well as where they may need additional support.
For families, this can be particularly helpful when a child is struggling at school or home. Understanding whether difficulties are related to attention, learning, autism, executive functioning, emotional regulation, anxiety, or another factor can provide a clearer path toward appropriate interventions and accommodations.
Ultimately, recognizing neurodiversity means recognizing that there is no single way for a brain to work, learn, communicate, or experience the world. At the same time, meaningful challenges deserve to be taken seriously. The goal of a comprehensive evaluation is not simply to identify what is “different,” but to understand the whole person and determine what supports will help them thrive.
When Might a Psychological Evaluation for Neurodivergence Be Helpful?
Many people reach a point in their lives when they begin to wonder, “Why have some things always seemed harder for me than they seem to be for other people?”
Maybe school was difficult despite working hard. Maybe staying organized, managing time, or paying attention has always required tremendous effort. Perhaps social situations feel confusing or exhausting, sensory experiences can be overwhelming, or everyday changes and demands are unusually difficult. Some people recognize these patterns in childhood, while others do not begin to consider them until adolescence or adulthood.
Importantly, being neurodivergent is not itself a medical diagnosis. A person may identify as neurodivergent without having a formal diagnosis. A clinical psychological evaluation has a different purpose: it can determine whether a person’s symptoms and patterns of functioning meet established criteria for a specific diagnosis.
An evaluation may be useful when someone has experienced longstanding difficulties that are not fully explained by the usual explanations. For example, a child, teenager, or adult may struggle with:
- Attention, organization, or time management
- Social communication or maintaining relationships
- Sensory sensitivities
- Emotional regulation
- Flexibility and adjusting to change
- Understanding social expectations
- Completing everyday tasks
- Managing work or school demands
- Anxiety, frustration, or exhaustion related to these challenges
The important question is not simply whether someone has a particular symptom on a given day. Many different conditions are normal variations in personality or development. Psychological testing can help clarify what may be contributing to the difficulties and whether symptoms are consistent with conditions such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, learning disorders, anxiety, depression, or other concerns.
The American Psychological Association notes that psychological assessment can help psychologists understand the nature of a person’s difficulties, arrive at a diagnosis, and guide treatment. (American Psychological Association)
How Can an Evaluation Guide Treatment and Support?
Perhaps most importantly, an evaluation can help answer the question, “What do we do next?”
Knowing whether difficulties are primarily related to ADHD, autism, a learning disorder, anxiety, depression, executive functioning, or another factor can make treatment more targeted. Recommendations may include:
- Psychotherapy
- Academic interventions
- Occupational therapy
- Speech and language services
- Executive functioning support
- Behavioral strategies
- Medication consultation
- Parent support
- Workplace strategies
- Other resources
A diagnosis alone is rarely the endpoint. The most useful evaluation is one that translates findings into practical recommendations that can be used at home, at school, at work, or in therapy. The APA similarly describes psychological assessment as a process that can help psychologists arrive at a diagnosis and develop an individualized treatment plan. (American Psychological Association)
Ultimately, the goal of testing is not simply to determine whether someone is “neurodivergent enough” to receive a diagnosis. It is to better understand the person as a whole—and use that understanding to help them function, learn, work, and feel better.
Conclusion
Understanding neurodiversity allows us to move beyond the idea that there is one “right” way for a brain to work. As a young paraprofessional aide, I was working with kids who processed the world in radically different ways from myself. Trying to see the world through their brain differences helped me realize that despite those differences, the desire for care, love, acceptance, and purpose is universal.
Recognizing neurological differences does not mean overlooking the real challenges that some people experience. It is the first step across the gaps between all our wonderfully diverse brains toward a better world for every brain.
