A Primer on Neurodiversity-Affirming Speech and Language Services for Autistic Individuals

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. two authors of this publication are identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Gaddy, C. & Crow, H. (2023). A Primer on Neurodiversity-Affirming Speech and Language Services for Autistic Individuals. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(6), 1220-1237. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_persp-23-00106

Publication date: 27 Oct 2023 Added to AutiHub: 30 Sep 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
2 / 2 (100.0%)

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this tutorial is to educate speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on the need for and positive outcomes associated with neurodiversity-affirming care. This primer will outline what neurodiversity is, why it is central to the provision of evidence-based practice and culturally responsive care, and introduce the reader to neurodiversity-affirming clinical practices. Method: This tutorial is based on a review of literature, including academic research and written works from autistic and disability activists, existence in autistic spaces, conversations within the autistic community, lived experience as autistic individuals, and clinical experience as SLPs. Discussion: SLPs specializing in developmental disabilities will provide services for children with a variety of diagnoses and co-occurring conditions. Consequently, SLPs are likely to work with autistic and otherwise neurodivergent individuals. In supporting autistic clients, SLPs may promote communication development, provide and support augmentative and alternative communication, teach executive functioning strategies, educate family members and/or other members of the support team, and more. As such, it is imperative that SLPs have an understanding of the neurodiversity paradigm, how it relates to providing culturally responsive care, and the positive outcomes associated with incorporating it into our practice. This tutorial provides descriptions of neurodiversity-affirming care principles and definitions of related terms through visuals, discussion, and fictitious case scenarios and examples. Conclusion: Clinicians may use this primer to integrate neurodiversity-affirming care principles into their practice.

Bibliography cited by this reference

Cited references are imported from external metadata sources when they are available. The list may be partial.

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: 2 Oct 2026 01:40.

Cited references
78
With a DOI
57
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
21
14 / 78 (17.9%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
4 / 78 (5.1%)
References with detected author names
74 / 78 (94.9%)
Without detected author names
4
Without a structured title
4
Without a stable identifier
21
References with raw author names still to review
4
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
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
215
From DOI or external metadata
215
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
6
107 / 215 (49.8%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 108 / 215 (50.2%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
18 / 215 (8.4%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 18 / 107 (16.8%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 13 / 192 (6.8%).
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