Category Archives: Neurodiversity

An Ecosystemic Perspective on Trauma, Risk and Resilience in Autistic Children and Young People Attending Mainstream Schools (2025)

Posted on by

Authors: Katy Bignold and Henry Wood-Downie
Published: 2025
Publication: Educational Psychology Research and Practice

This essay explores how use of an ecological systems model of resilience (Ungar & Theron, 2020) can help schools to minimise the risks and mitigate the impact of trauma in autistic children and young people. Autistic children and young people are at higher risk of experiencing adversity and trauma than the general population and may encounter, experience and process trauma differently to their neurotypical peers. Given the rising number of autistic children attending mainstream schools, it is vital that education professionals understand how schools can support through reducing risk and increasing resilience. The essay discusses risk and resilience with reference to the research literature. Neurodiversity-affirming practices and trauma-informed relational approaches are identified as improving children’s quality of life, helping them achieve personally important goals, and promoting connection and belonging, which is important for resilience. Interventions and approaches to help autistic children develop emotional regulation, self-efficacy skills, self-understanding and self-esteem will also contribute to resilience when delivered from a neurodiversity-affirming perspective. Limitations in the current literature are acknowledged. Further research is urgently needed to explore the views and experiences of autistic people, and to evaluate school-based, trauma-informed, relational and neurodiversity-affirming approaches to building resilience in autistic children and young people. Research in both of these areas will be vital to inform the development of policy and practice at all levels of the ecosystem and improve outcomes for autistic children and young people.

Bignold, K. and Wood-Downie, H. (2025). An Ecosystemic Perspective on Trauma, Risk and Resilience in Autistic Children and Young People Attending Mainstream Schools. Educational Psychology Research and Practice. 11(2). https://doi.org/10.15123/61d7-jm30

Download (open access publication)

 

Voices Unheard: How School Shapes Mental Health for Gender and Neurodiverse Youth (2025)

Posted on by

Authors: Abigail Vines, Cora Sargeant and Sarah Wright
Published: 2025
Publication: Neurodiversity

Gender-diverse youth report significantly poorer mental health outcomes than other youth populations. Neurodiverse youth also report poorer mental health outcomes than their neurotypical peers. Research shows that school experience impacts these outcomes. However, this research has yet to explore how belonging to both populations affects mental health, particularly in school. Thus, this study sought to explore people’s experiences of being neuro- and gender diverse in school, and how these experiences impacted their mental health. This study also looked at what schools could do to support the mental health of this population. Interviews/focus groups were conducted with 12 people aged between 16 and 19 attending sixth forms, colleges, and universities across England. This age range was selected so that participants could reflect on their recent experiences of school. Reflexive thematic analysis developed four themes. Participants acknowledged that their school experiences were turbulent, because of the way others treated them, due to their identities. Participants did not feel understood and in turn, did not receive enough consistent and appropriate support, which negatively impacted mental health. However, participants also noted that understanding teachers, bespoke support, and representation all improved their mental health at school. Implications for educational professionals are also discussed.

Vines, A., Sargeant, C. & Wright, S. (2025). Voices Unheard: How School Shapes Mental Health for Gender and Neurodiverse Youth Neurodiversity, 3. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330251346881

Download (open access publication)