Neurodivergent Researchers in Autism Research: A Survey within the AIMS-2-TRIALS Consortium

Growing emphasis on participatory and community-informed research has increased interest in the representation of neurodivergent researchers within the research workforce. This exploratory study investigated the presence of neurodivergent researchers within a large European autism research consortium and examined associations with selected demographic, occupational, and mental health characteristics.

An anonymous survey was distributed to active contributors within the consortium. Participants reported autism diagnosis status, self-identification, other neurodevelopmental conditions, demographic characteristics, career stage, and lifetime mental health diagnoses.

33% percent of participants met the study definition of neurodivergence, including researchers with a formal autism diagnosis, those undergoing diagnostic assessment, self-identified autistic researchers, and researchers reporting other neurodevelopmental conditions. Neurodivergent researchers were represented across all career stages within the consortium. Neurodivergence was associated with increased odds of reporting a lifetime mental health diagnosis after adjustment for age and gender. Bayesian sensitivity analyses produced consistent findings.

These findings provide an initial characterisation of neurodivergent researchers within a large autism research consortium and underscore the importance of considering neurodivergent researchers as part of broader discussions on inclusion in autism research. Further research across multiple research settings is needed to better understand workforce experiences, disclosure, and support needs.