Dual Challenges – Dual Strengths

Authors

Abstract

This chapter examines the intersection of neurodivergent identities and parenthood in higher education, highlighting the compounded challenges and strengths faced by neurodivergent parents. It highlights the liminal position of balancing academic responsibilities with parenting as a neurodivergent individual, advocating for more inclusive practices in academia. Drawing on empirical qualitative research and literature, it examines systemic barriers, stigma and the dual demands of caregiving and academic roles, while also noting the unique contributions of neurodivergent parents to academia. Grounded in the social-relational model of disability and neurodiversity paradigm, it challenges pathologising perspectives to foster inclusivity. By centring lived experiences, the chapter calls for structural reforms for neurodiversity-affirming practices and deepens understanding of the complexities neurodivergent individuals face in balancing academic and parenting roles.

1. David Leake , Robert A. Stodden (2014). Higher Education and Disability: Past and Future of Underrepresented Populations. Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 27(4), 399.

   Type: Article OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1933622412

   Crossref OpenAlex
2. Dawn Adams , Madeline Stainsby , Jessica Paynter (2021). Autistic Mothers of Autistic Children: A Preliminary Study in an Under-Researched Area . Autism in Adulthood, 3(4), 339-346. SAGE Publications.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2020.0078 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3154093069

   Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
3. Ann Hardy (2024). “You don’t need to be fixed”: Working with a neurodiverse family . Couple and Family Psychoanalysis, 14(2), 146-160. Karnac Books Limited.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.33212/cfp.v14n2.2024.146 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4403602506

   Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
4. Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… (2012). On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’ . Disability & Society, 27(6), 883-887. Informa UK Limited.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2012.710008 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W1968949608

   AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
5. Anastasia H. Anderson , Jennifer Stephenson , Mark Carter , Sarah Carlon (2019). A Systematic Literature Review of Empirical Research on Postsecondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(4), 1531-1558. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3840-2 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2905478939

   Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
6. Almuth Mcdowall , Nancy Doyle (2023). Neurodiversity Coaching . Routledge.

   Type: Book DOI: 10.4324/9781003368274

   Crossref OpenCitations
7. Goffman E. (1969). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity . Postgraduate Medical Journal, 45(527), 642-642. Oxford University Press (OUP).

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1136/pgmj.45.527.642 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2022768097

   OpenAlex
8. Colin Barnes (2019). Understanding the social model of disability . In Routledge Handbook of Disability Studies (pp. 14-31). Routledge.

   Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9780429430817-2 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4247050420

   Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
9. A. L. Pohl , S. K. Crockford , M. Blakemore , Carrie Allison , Simon Baron-Cohen (2020). A comparative study of autistic and non-autistic women’s experience of motherhood . Molecular Autism, 11(1), 3. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

   Type: Article DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0304-2 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3000239743

   Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
10. Melvin L. DeFleur , Erving Goffman (1964). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. Social Forces, 43(1), 127. Oxford University Press (OUP).

    Type: Article DOI: 10.2307/2575995 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2329342908

    OpenAlex
11. Hanna Bertilsdotter Rosqvist *Autistic author. Learn more… , Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Anna Stenning *Autistic author. Learn more… (2020). Neurodiversity Studies . Routledge.

    Type: Book DOI: 10.4324/9780429322297 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3027371659

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
12. Damian Mellifont (2023). Ableist ivory towers: a narrative review informing about the lived experiences of neurodivergent staff in contemporary higher education . Disability & Society, 38(5), 865-886. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2021.1965547 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3193543301

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
13. Nicholas Chown *Autistic author. Learn more… , Joanna Baker-Rogers , Elizabeth Hughes , Kleio Cossburn , Pam Byrne (2018). The ‘High Achievers’ project: an assessment of the support for students with autism attending UK universities . Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42(6), 837-854. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/0309877x.2017.1323191 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2625200124

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
14. Monique Botha *Autistic author. Learn more… , Kristen Gillespie-Lynch (2022). Come as You Are: Examining Autistic Identity Development and the Neurodiversity Movement through an Intersectional Lens . Human Development, 66(2), 93-112. S. Karger AG.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1159/000524123 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4293192631

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
15. Amber-Sophie Dugdale , Andrew R. Thompson , Alexandra Leedham , Nigel Beail , Megan Freeth (2021). Intense connection and love: The experiences of autistic mothers . Autism, 25(7), 1973-1984. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613211005987 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3154030996

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
16. Jennifer C. Sarrett (2018). Autism and Accommodations in Higher Education: Insights from the Autism Community . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 679-693. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-017-3353-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2773491881

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
17. Eilidh Cage , Jack Howes (2020). Dropping out and moving on: A qualitative study of autistic people’s experiences of university . Autism, 24(7), 1664-1675. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361320918750 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3014722297

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
18. Sue Fletcher‐Watson , Jonathan Adams *Autistic author. Learn more… , Kabie Brook *Autistic author. Learn more… , Tony Charman , Laura Crane , James Cusack *Autistic author. Learn more… et al. (2019). Making the future together: Shaping autism research through meaningful participation . Autism, 23(4), 943-953. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361318786721 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2807975560

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars AutiHub · Documentation center Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
19. Maryse Pagnier , Mona Moualla (2026). The Autistic Parenting Journey: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence and Thematic Meta-Synthesis . Autism in Adulthood, 8(4), 571-592. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2024.0176 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4403843442

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
20. Emine Gürbüz , Mary Hanley , Deborah M. Riby (2019). University Students with Autism: The Social and Academic Experiences of University in the UK . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 617-631. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-018-3741-4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2889171854

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
21. Simone Smit , Jeremy Hopper (2023). Love, Joy, and a Lens of Childhood Trauma: Exploring Factors That Impact the Mental Health and Well-Being of Autistic Parents via Iterative Phenomenological Analysis . Autism in Adulthood, 5(1), 63-75. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2021.0101 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4296703617

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
22. Patrick Dwyer *Autistic author. Learn more… , Erica Mineo , Kristin Mifsud , C. Lindholm , Ava Gurba *Autistic author. Learn more… , TC Waisman *Autistic author. Learn more… (2023). Building Neurodiversity-Inclusive Postsecondary Campuses: Recommendations for Leaders in Higher Education . Autism in Adulthood, 5(1), 1-14. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2021.0042 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4213292699

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
23. Jane D. McLeod , Emily Meanwell , Amelia Hawbaker (2019). The Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum: A Comparison to Their Neurotypical Peers . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(6), 2320-2336. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-03910-8 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2914644561

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
24. Dena Evans , Matthew Granson , David Langford , Sophie Hirsch (2023). Autism spectrum disorder: reconceptualising support for neurodiverse students in higher education . Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 45(2), 243-257. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/1360080x.2023.2180168 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4321494158

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
25. Jiedi Lei , Chris Ashwin , Mark Brosnan , Ailsa Russell (2019). Developing an Online Tool to Measure Social Network Structure and Perceived Social Support Amongst Autistic Students in Higher Education: A Feasibility Study . Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(9), 3526-3542. Springer Science and Business Media LLC.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1007/s10803-019-04070-5 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W2946307147

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
26. Chloe Farahar *Autistic author. Learn more… (2022). Autistic identity, culture, community, and space for well-being . In The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies (pp. 229-241). Routledge.

    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9781003056577-23 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4307049144

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
27. Kayden M. Stockwell , Zoë S. Robertson , Andrew J. Lampi , Talyn Steinmann , Erline Morgan , Vikram K. Jaswal (2025). “A System That Wasn't Really Optimized for Me”: Factors Influencing Autistic University Students' Access to Information . Autism in Adulthood, 7(2), 171-184. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2023.0139 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4393424514

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
28. Kristen Gillespie-Lynch , Jennifer B Bisson , Sabine Saade , Rita Obeid , Bella Kofner , Ashley Johnson Harrison et al. (2022). If you want to develop an effective autism training, ask autistic students to help you . Autism, 26(5), 1082-1094. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613211041006 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3198012637

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
29. Margaret Janse van Rensburg , Bridget Liang (2025). Improving Autistic Students' Experiences in Higher Education: Developing a Community Framework for Individual Autistic Student and Autistic Community Flourishing . Autism in Adulthood, 7(2), 141-154. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2022.0079 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4363675042

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
30. E Goffman (1963). Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity . Stigma: Notes on the management of spoiled identity.

    Type: Other

    Crossref
31. Aimee Grant *Autistic author. Learn more… , Kathryn Williams *Autistic author. Learn more… , Karen Henry , Willow Holloway *Autistic author. Learn more… , Christina Nicolaidis , Helen Kara et al. (2024). Co-developing an Autism Research Funding Application to Facilitate Ethical and Participatory Research: The Autism from Menstruation to Menopause Project . In The Palgrave Handbook of Research Methods and Ethics in Neurodiversity Studies (pp. 61-79). Springer Nature Switzerland.

    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-66127-3_4 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4402940003

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
32. Nicola Martin (2021). Perspectives on UK university employment from autistic researchers and lecturers . Disability & Society, 36(9), 1510-1531. Informa UK Limited.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1080/09687599.2020.1802579 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3041998769

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
33. Katherine Gore , Melissa Gilbert , Susan Hayward , Rebecca L. Flower , Josephine Barbaro (2024). Investigating the mental health of Autistic working parents: A scoping review . Neurodiversity, 2. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/27546330241272174 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4402392451

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
34. Amy Pearson *Autistic author. Learn more… , Kieran Rose *Autistic author. Learn more… (2021). A Conceptual Analysis of Autistic Masking: Understanding the Narrative of Stigma and the Illusion of Choice . Autism in Adulthood, 3(1), 52-60. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1089/aut.2020.0043 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3121580719

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
35. Kate Seers , Rachel C Hogg (2021). ‘You don’t look autistic’: A qualitative exploration of women’s experiences of being the ‘autistic other’ . Autism, 25(6), 1553-1564. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/1362361321993722 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W3136332810

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
36. Romy Hume (2024). An Inclusive Methodology for Research with Multiply Neurodivergent Participants . In The Palgrave Handbook of Research Methods and Ethics in Neurodiversity Studies (pp. 215-231). Springer Nature Switzerland.

    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-66127-3_13 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4402940404

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
37. Sandra Thom-Jones *Autistic author. Learn more… (2023). Autistics working in academia: What are the barriers and facilitators? Autism, 27(3), 822-831. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613221118158 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4291124216

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
38. TC Waisman *Autistic author. Learn more… , Zachary J. Williams *Autistic author. Learn more… , Eilidh Cage , Siva priya Santhanam , Iliana Magiati , Patrick Dwyer *Autistic author. Learn more… et al. (2023). Learning from the experts: Evaluating a participatory autism and universal design training for university educators . Autism, 27(2), 356-370. SAGE Publications.

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1177/13623613221097207 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4281781237

    AutiHub · Autistic Scholars Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
39. Kaitlyn P. Wilson , Aaron Dallman (2025). Strategies for promoting neurodiversity and autism acceptance in higher education. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 18(Suppl 1), S736-S741. American Psychological Association (APA).

    Type: Article DOI: 10.1037/dhe0000550 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4390753046

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
40. Sara Ryan , Damian Milton *Autistic author. Learn more… (2022). Critical autism studies . In The Routledge International Handbook of Critical Autism Studies (pp. 1-10). Routledge.

    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.4324/9781003056577-1 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4307048930

    Crossref OpenAlex OpenCitations
41. Almuth McDowall , Nancy Doyle (2026). Neurodiversity Coaching . In The Coaching Psychology Handbook (pp. 579-600). Wiley.

    Type: Book chapter DOI: 10.1002/9781394292806.ch31 OpenAlex: https://openalex.org/W4389223175

    OpenAlex