Different minds, shared struggles: Personality and self-beliefs across neurodivergent conditions

Neurodivergent individuals differ from their neurotypical peers in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral characteristics. However, research has yet to provide a systematic comparison of personality and self-beliefs across multiple formally diagnosed and self-identified neurodivergent conditions. This study examines whether self-identified neurodivergence explains additional variance beyond formal diagnosis in the Big Five personality dimensions, positive as well as negative self-beliefs across seven conditions (autism, ADHD, ADD, DCD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and giftedness). Using two waves of data (N between 2056 and 2069), our study provides a comprehensive overview of the association between these neurodivergent conditions and the Big Five personality dimensions. Our results provide empirical evidence for the incremental predictive value of self-identification beyond formal neurodivergent diagnoses. Furthermore, the findings reveal a shared socio-cognitive vulnerability pattern across neurodivergent conditions, characterized by elevated negative self-beliefs and reduced positive self-beliefs and underscore the applicability of self-identification next to formal diagnosis in neurodiversity research. Implications include reconsidering the validity of personality assessments for neurodivergent individuals and recognizing self-identification as a meaningful criterion for research and intervention design.