Mindshift in autism: a call to professionals in research, clinical, and educational settings

McVey, A. J., Jones, D. R., Waisman, T., Raymaker, D. M., Nicolaidis, C., & Maddox, B. B. (2023). Mindshift in autism: a call to professionals in research, clinical, and educational settings. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1251058-1251058. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1251058

Publication date: 31 Aug 2023 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 6 (33.3%)

Abstract

Autistic people often have poor outcomes over the life course, including in health, education, employment, and community inclusion. Many professionals working with Autistic adults in research, clinical, and educational settings devote their careers to trying to improve such outcomes. However, we maintain that real progress cannot happen without a fundamental mindshift. The status quo for professionals is to view autism as an illness. Instead, the neurodiversity movement encourages us to value and embrace autism as an aspect of human diversity and asks us to view Autistic people as a marginalized group that experiences significant disparities. While some professionals may be adopting language and concepts from the neurodiversity movement, we argue that making this mindshift fundamentally changes our practice across research, clinical, and educational settings. In this perspective, we call on professionals to embrace this mindshift to reduce discrimination and stigma, halt the spread of harmful ideologies, and help Autistic adults live fulfilling lives.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
68
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
25 / 68 (36.8%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
44 / 219 (20.1%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 44 / 132 (33.3%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 20 / 168 (11.9%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
132 / 219 (60.3%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 82 / 168 (48.8%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
88 / 132 (66.7%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 88 / 219 (40.2%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 62 / 82 (75.6%).
2 cited bibliography entries could not be fully enriched from DOI metadata.
Crossref: not found (1) · DataCite: not found (1)
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