The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity

Armstrong, Thomas J.

doi:10.1001/journalofethics.2015.17.4.msoc1-1504

Cited by 83 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The medical model of disability focuses on discerning the difference between normal and abnormal human functioning (Masataka, 2017). Within this framework, cognitive impairments are conceptualised as deficits in the development of the brain associated with conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specific learning disorders, and intellectual disability (Armstrong, 2015). While the medical model has historically dominated the discourse around disability, this has been challenged in recent years by the social model of disability (SMD) which draws attention to the way that ability is socially and culturally constructed (Krcek, 2013).…”

Section: The Neurodiversity Paradigmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-writing the “rules of engagement”: Using critical reflection to examine ableist social work practice

Fox

2021

ANZSWJ

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INTRODUCTION: Normative beliefs and practices reaffirm a hegemonic construction of human ability that legitimises the socio-cultural status quo. This disenfranchises people with diverse abilities who are excluded from this construction whilst simultaneously normalising the structural inequality and oppression that they experience. Helping professions such as social work often provide support to people who are disadvantaged by these social structures. However, practitioners within these fields are not immune to the influence of socio-cultural norms, therefore it is essential for them to reflect on the ways in which they might reproduce them within their practice.APPROACH: This article outlines my experience of using critical reflection as a research methodology to examine an incident from my practice. Deconstruction and reconstruction methods were used to analyse the normative assumptions within my construction of this incident.REFLECTIONS: The deconstruction analysis revealed how assumptions about impairment within my account of the incident were underpinned by ableist discourses. Reconstructing this through a neurodiversity lens enabled me to generate new insights around the anti-oppressive potential for using a pluralistic approach that undermines hegemonic constructions of ability.CONCLUSIONS: By critically reflecting on this incident, I realised the importance of challenging normative assumptions when practising within neoliberal contexts where socio-cultural hegemony is amplified.

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Section: The Neurodiversity Paradigmmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-writing the “rules of engagement”: Using critical reflection to examine ableist social work practice

Fox

2021

ANZSWJ

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“…Brain disorders are contextualized states, regardless of their etiology. Disordered states that lead to disordered behavior are diverse in their development and manifestation, and some of these states are not universally seen as truly disordered (e.g., the prominent neurodiversity movement in the ASD community; Armstrong, 2015). That said, all cases discussed here, and all cases in which preclinical detection could be used to identify patients before symptom onset, are medicalized, and are therefore subject to the same protection, concerns, and risks.…”

Section: Terminology: Preclinical or Prodromal Brain Disordersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prodromes and Preclinical Detection of Brain Diseases: Surveying the Ethical Landscape of Predicting Brain Health

Ahlgrim

Garza

Hoffman

et al. 2019

eNeuro

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The future of medicine lies not primarily in cures but in disease modification and prevention. While the science of preclinical detection is young, it is moving rapidly. Preclinical interventions offer hope to decrease the severity of a disease or delay the development of a disorder. With such promise, the research and practice of detecting brain disorders at a preclinical stage present unique ethical challenges that must be addressed to ensure the benefit of these technologies. Direct brain interventions have the potential to impact not just what a patient has but who they are and who they could become. Further, receiving an assessment for a preclinical or prodromal state has potential to impact perceptions about capacity, autonomy and personhood and could become entangled with stigma and discrimination. Exploring ethical issues alongside and integrated into the experimental design and research of these technologies is critical. This review will highlight ethical issues attendant to the current and near future states of preclinical detection across the life span, specifically as it relates to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

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“…Whereas medical practice and genetic research tend to construct a narrative of prevention and cure around autism as a disease, many proponents within the autism rights movement view it as a form of natural neurological variation (i.e., neurodiversity) that can confer individual and societal benefits (Armstrong, 2015; Bagatell, 2010; Hillary, 2015; Hurlbutt & Chalmers, 2002; Kanazawa & Vandermassen, 2005; Ronald, Happé, & Plomin, 2005; Silberman, 2015; Sinclair, 2012; Soloman, 2012). For example, common autistic attributes such as attention to detail, an aptitude for learning new technology, and thinking outside the box have been associated with success in varied employment settings (Armstrong, 2010; Kelland, 2013; Silberman, 2015).…”

Section: Perspectives On Genetic Testing and Autismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic testing and autism: Tutorial for communication sciences and disorders

DeThorne

Ceman

2018

Journal of Communication Disorders

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This tutorial provides professionals in communication sciences and disorders with an overview of the molecular basis and parental perceptions of genetic testing as associated with autism. The introduction notes the prominence of genetic testing within present-day medical practices and highlights related limitations and concerns through the lens of disability critique. The body of the tutorial provides an overview of four different forms of genetic variation, highlighting the potential associations with autism and available genetic testing. In sum, most autism cases cannot be associated directly with specified forms of genetic variation but are attributed instead to multiple genetic and environmental influences working in concert. Finally, the discussion focuses on parental perceptions of the genetic testing associated with autism, both the potential benefits and harms, and emphasizes the need to integrate first-person perspectives from autistic individuals.

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The Myth of the Normal Brain: Embracing Neurodiversity

Cited by 83 publications

References 16 publications

Re-writing the “rules of engagement”: Using critical reflection to examine ableist social work practice

Re-writing the “rules of engagement”: Using critical reflection to examine ableist social work practice

Prodromes and Preclinical Detection of Brain Diseases: Surveying the Ethical Landscape of Predicting Brain Health

Genetic testing and autism: Tutorial for communication sciences and disorders

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