Understanding how culture and neurodiversity relate is important in knowing how people see and deal with differences in thinking. Culture isn't just about where you're from; it's about how society expects you to behave and what it thinks. These beliefs and norms affect how conditions like autism or ADHD are seen and managed in different places.
Intersectionality
Intersectionality is a term used to describe how different social categories like race, gender, and class overlap and influence each other, creating systems of discrimination. It suggests that individuals have multiple identities that intersect and cannot be understood separately. When we apply this concept to neurodiversity, we consider how a person's experience of being neurodiverse is shaped by their other social identities, such as race, gender, or socioeconomic status.
When so many things can hold you back, For nothing more than being black, Who would want another label that says to some that you’re not able?"Morgan, 2020
Reflection
In what ways do societal labels limit an individual's potential or opportunities?This next article looks at how a person's ethnicity and cultural perspectives influence the identification of neurological differences. It explores the concept of neurodiversity, its connection to different cultures, and the implications of racial variations on the understanding and diagnosis of neurodiverse conditions.
Reading
Neurodiversity: What is it and what does it look like across races?
Expected Duration: 10-15 minutes
Pre-Read Question
Consider how cultural variations affect the diagnosis and recognition of neurodiverse conditions in different societies.
Reading: Neurodiversity: What is it and what does it look like across races?
Post-Read Task
How can we ensure that everyone, no matter their background, gets the right help if they're neurodiverse?
Write down three actions that could help ensure every person, regardless of their background, receives appropriate support if they are neurodiverse.
Activity
Two Perspectives on Intersectional Neurodiversity
In the following readings, Emily Chen and Mrinal Gokhale share their experiences dealing with ADHD as Asian Americans. They show how cultural expectations and stereotypes affect their struggles and the challenges they face in getting support.
Reading
I Have a Voice, Too: On Being an Asian American with ADHD
Emily Chen shares her journey as an Asian American woman with ADHD, highlighting how cultural stereotypes and societal expectations complicate her ability to self-advocate and seek support for her ADHD while preparing for graduate school.
Expected Duration: 10 minutes
Pre-Read Question
What do you think are some common stereotypes about Asian Americans in terms of academic achievement and behaviour?
Reading: I Have a Voice, Too: On Being an Asian American with ADHD
Post-Read Task
Consider the challenges Emily faced in acknowledging and addressing her ADHD within the context of her Chinese heritage and its cultural norms.
Reading
They Denied Her ADHD Because She Was Disciplined, Studious… and Indian
Mrinal Gokhale discusses the challenges of living with undiagnosed ADHD, revealing how cultural norms and societal misconceptions about ADHD led to the denial of her condition despite significant struggles with focus, test-taking, and academic performance.
Expected Duration: 10 minutes
Pre-Read Question
How could cultural norms and expectations about studiousness and discipline influence the recognition and acknowledgment of neurodiverse conditions like ADHD?
Reading: They Denied Her ADHD Because She Was Disciplined, Studious… and Indian
Post-Read Task
Consider the response Mrinal received when seeking accommodations and how cultural perceptions played a role in the denial of support.
Finally, watch the story of Ben Van Hook.
Watch: "A World Of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity" (8:02 Minutes)
Ben Van Hook, a neurodivergent graduate student, faced challenges with communication, motor skills, and discrimination as an Asian American and neurodiverse student, being adopted from China into a Jewish household in the United States. Now studying public policy, he works to ensure diverse representation and support for neurodivergent individuals.
Pre-Watch Question
How does having different characteristics like being neurodivergent, belonging to a particular ethnic group, and being adopted into a new culture affect how a person sees and experiences things?
Post Watch Task
What key messages does Ben provide for individuals facing challenges related to identity, education, and discrimination?
Activity
We have seen how cultural beliefs and societal expectations can complicate conversations around neurodiversity. How might these experiences resemble or differ in New Zealand?
Post your thoughts and any personal experiences on the group forum.
ADHD and Ethnicity
Having looked at how race and neurodiversity connect in other parts of the world, let's now investigate how this relationship works in New Zealand.
Between 2009 and 2011, Māori children accessed mental health services less for certain conditions like ADHD, autism, and learning disorders, compared to non-Māori non-Pacific children, but had more service contacts and inpatient care for disruptive behaviour and intellectual disabilities. Jenn Parker talks about dealing with ADHD in New Zealand Aotearoa, pointing out the difficulties in accessing support after being diagnosed and highlighting the lack of resources available for neurodivergent individuals, especially those from Māori and Pacific communities. (Parker, 2021)
Tamariki Takiwātanga Māori
This study examines New Zealand educators' support for autistic Māori children in early childhood education, revealing a predominance of neurodiversity-aligned perspectives and the crucial need for culturally inclusive approaches and further professional training to better address the diverse needs of these children in educational settings.
Reading
Supporting tamariki takiwātanga Māori (autistic Māori children): Exploring the experience of early childhood educators
Expected Duration: 30 minutes
Pre-Read Question
What challenges do educators face in creating inclusive environments for underrepresented groups, specifically autistic Māori children?
Reading: Supporting tamariki takiwātanga Māori (autistic Māori children)
Post-Read Question
What are the key takeaways or significant findings from the research that resonated with you?
Did you notice that in all three main themes identified during the study, the importance of culture was recognised?
- 'In their own time and space' (Recognising Uniqueness in Autism): Educators saw autism as a different way of being rather than a disorder and wanted to learn more about cultural perspectives in their training.
- 'We're more focused on their wellbeing' (Prioitising Well-being): The focus was on ensuring the well-being and social development of all autistic children, including providing a supportive environment and addressing cultural identity.
- 'Everything we do with him, we do with everybody' (Tailoring Teaching to Each Child): Educators personalised their teaching methods for every child. Strategies for supporting cultural development in Māori children included involving families for advice, using the Māori language and cultural practices, and recognising the significance of cultural identity.
Educators recognised how culture shaped their ideas about autism and how they taught, demonstrating just how crucial cultural perspectives are in supporting neurodiverse individuals, especially in Māori and Pacific communities.
Education for Disabled Learners in Schools
In 1989, disabled learners gained the right to attend local schools, yet currently, they still encounter exclusion and remain at a high risk for poor educational and future life outcomes. The Education Review Office (ERO) report explores the quality of education for these learners in New Zealand schools. The term 'disabled learners' encompasses children needing significant support to succeed in education, including those with physical, cognitive, sensory impairments, and neurodiverse conditions, and making up an estimated 11 percent of children in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Reading
Thriving at School? Education for Disabled Learners in Schools
Expected Duration: 30 minutes
Just focus on Part 7, (Investigating the Status of Māori Disabled Learners and their Whānau), and Part 8, (Assessing the Well-Being of Pacific Disabled Learners).
- Section 7 examines the well-being of Māori disabled learners and the differences in schools with a high Māori student population.
- Section 8 presents accounts from Pacific disabled learners who express enjoyment in schooling, although a considerable portion of them still encounter exclusion and struggle with poor outcomes in education.
Pre-Read Question
What similarities or differences do you anticipate in the educational experiences of Māori and Pacific disabled learners, given the cultural diversity present in New Zealand schools?
Reading: Thriving at School? Education for Disabled Learners in Schools
Post-Read Task
Based on the examples provided, how are the approaches of Māori and Pacific communities similar and different when it comes to including disabled learners in education? Find two ways they are different and two ways they are similar.
Activity
Go to the group forum and discuss with your peers: How do cultural values influence the nature and extent of parental involvement of Māori and Pacific disabled students?
- Cultural norms significantly impact how neurodiverse conditions like autism and ADHD are perceived and managed.
- Individuals' neurodiverse experiences intersect with other social identities, influencing their challenges and support needs.
- Varied cultural perspectives contribute to global differences in diagnosis rates and representation in neurodiversity.
- Real-life stories, such as Emily Chen's and Mrinal Gokhale's, highlight how cultural expectations affect neurodiverse individuals' struggles and support.
- Laws play a crucial role in fostering inclusion and breaking barriers for neurodiverse individuals.
- Inclusive education demands cultural awareness, as seen in the study on autistic Māori children, emphasising culturally inclusive approaches.
