- Processing: consider pace of processing time and plan for how this can be addressed within the intervention.
- Communication: consider whether activities that use metaphor need to be translated into simple written format.
- Physical SPACE: consider whether sensitivities to touch and/or noise will make group settings inaccessible and whether an alternative format is required.
KEY ISSUES
While there are some commonalities that are often present for people who are Neurodivergent, communication and learning needs vary from person to person. This will also be an opportunity to assess whether a group work format or one to one option is most accessible (the latter based on individual need rather than the ‘go to’ option).
Below we have provided an overview of some commonalities that can help you to prepare for an assessment session. We have also included some questions that you can ask Neurodivergent clients during assessment about their specific needs that will help to support their communication, engagement and learning whilst attending the intervention.
Many Neurodivergent people report that:
- Metaphors, idioms, sarcasm and vague or implied meaning can be difficult to comprehend.
- Verbal instructions, particularly when they are lengthy, can be difficult to follow.
- Multiple questions and instructions are hard to process.
- Pressure to provide an answer or opinion ‘on the spot’ without adequate processing time is extremely stressful.
- Being asked to ‘imagine’ without a concrete example to draw upon may become a guessing game (what’s in the practitioner’s head/ what do they want me to say) or may lead to thinking about other, loosely connected things that it is then hard to come back from (potentially aligned to special interests/ areas of hyperfocus).
- It can be easy to either lose track of time, or under/overestimate how much time is required to complete a task.
- Transitions and task switching can be difficult, especially if there is little or no preparation or warning for this.
During assessment it is useful to keep some of these considerations in mind. It is also important to remember that neurodivergence may co-occur with other learning needs and/or other forms of neurodivergence. For instance, recent research shows that ADHD and Autism often co-exist. Other intersecting learning differences may include dyslexia, dyscalculia (challenges with numbers), savantism (exceptional abilities in a specific area, for instance in music, languages or maths) and speech, language and communication difficulties.
PRACTICAL TIPS
During the assessment stage, aim to:
- Keep your communication clear and direct at all stages of the process.
- Avoid indirect, vague or implied meaning when communicating.
- Ask one question at a time and allow adequate processing time.
The following questions may be helpful during assessment to identify specific communication and learning needs that will support engagement and learning during the intervention:
- How do you best learn? (for instance, do you prefer written or verbal tasks, do pictures and diagrams help you to make sense of things, do you typically like to try things out to learn about them).
- Ask whether metaphor is difficult (consider using an example of this during the assessment).
- How do you process information? (quickly, need time, advance information to familiarise with content).
- How do you best learn/communicate on a one to one?
- How do you best learn/communicate in group settings?
- If on online intervention, ask the client what technological tools make it easier for them to engage (e.g., use of chat functions, closed captions, smaller break out rooms).
- Consider re-visiting the intervention/programme content and processes.
- Could these be made more accessible for a neurodiverse client group?
- Making processes and intervention content neuroinclusive benefits all!