A qualitative study of risk and resilience for positive life outcomes in neurodivergence using the WHO ICF

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Black, M. H., Segers, J., Moormann, E., Torell, S., Ingard, C., & Bölte, S. (2025). A qualitative study of risk and resilience for positive life outcomes in neurodivergence using the WHO ICF. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 35285-35285. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-19154-9

Publication date: 9 Oct 2025 Added to AutiHub: 22 Aug 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
6
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 6 (16.7%)
  1. Melissa H. Black
  2. Julie Segers
  3. Emma Moormann
  1. Stephanie Torell
  2. Cecilia Ingard *
  3. Sven Bölte

Abstract

Abstract Resilience is a dynamic process involving the interaction of multi-systemic individual and environmental factors that operate to protect against adversity and promote positive personal outcomes. Resilience is a topic of interest among groups who commonly experience adversity. Yet, it has received limited attention in the context of neurodivergence (e.g., autism and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). This study is part of a larger project investigating the bio-psycho-social factors contributing to resilience in neurodivergence using the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning (ICF). Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 69 neurodivergent individuals and/or their loved ones to explore the factors they believe influence risk and resilience for positive life outcomes and well-being. A deductive qualitative content analysis was employed to extract meaningful concepts from the interviews, which we then quantified by linking concepts to the ICF. A range of bio-psycho-social factors contributing to risk and resilience were identified, particularly in the ICF’s activity, participation, and environmental domains. Key factors included the immediate family, friends, and community members, as well as recreation and leisure, higher-level cognitive functions, and empowerment. Findings, while preliminary, highlight the need to look beyond individual factors alone, emphasizing the variable and context-dependent nature of resilience in neurodivergence.

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 12 Sep 2026 18:15.

Cited references
51
With a DOI
43
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
7
5 / 51 (9.8%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
6 / 51 (11.8%)
References with detected author names
48 / 51 (94.1%)
Without detected author names
3
Without a structured title
6
Without a stable identifier
7
References with raw author names still to review
0
References with external metadata lookup issues
1
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
255
From DOI or external metadata
255
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
5
82 / 255 (32.2%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 173 / 255 (67.8%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
8 / 255 (3.1%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 8 / 82 (9.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 8 / 218 (3.7%).
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