Neurodiversity or Autism? Two Models Compared

The neurodiversity movement favors the infinity symbol over the older one that viewed autism as a puzzle to be solved

The neurodiversity movement and the medical model of autism find points of agreement

STUDY: Kapp SK, World Psychiatry 2026;25(2):322–323

STUDY TYPE: Review

FUNDING: Independent

Background

The neurodiversity movement started in the late 1980’s. It promotes the idea that these differences are natural variations, not deficits or disorders to be cured. The medical model, in its pure form, frames autism as a disorder to be treated. This narrative review suggests the two frameworks overlap more than it seems.

The Review

Both frameworks support intervention, but they disagree on goals. The neurodiversity movement starts with quality of life and works backward: address what impairs the person, not what makes them look atypical. The medical model starts with deficits and aims to eliminate them. The neurodiversity view treats autism as identity; the medical view treats it as disorder.

Here’s where they converge

1. Treatment of dangerous symptoms

Most neurodiversity supporters endorse individual-level interventions, as does the medical model. They distinguish between behaviors that cause real harm (self-injurious head-banging) and those that serve as coping mechanisms (hand-flapping). They do not oppose treating the harmful ones.

2. Recognizing risks of masking

Both groups recognize that compensating for autistic traits comes at a personal cost. Masking, in particular, correlates with more victimization, not less.

3. Causes and comorbidities

Both groups are skeptical of simple causes for autism, like vaccines and acetaminophen. Both appreciate the importance of comorbidities like epilepsy.

Caveats

I’ve summarized the review article here, recognizing that a single paper does not reflect the views of all neurodivergent people or their medical providers.

Practice Implications

1. Most autistic patients we see hold a neurodiversity-aligned view of themselves, even if they’ve never heard the term.
2. Focus on quality of life, but don’t assume. Ask what they want to work on in treatment.