Glossary
Searchable terminology from accessibility, web standards, and related fields.
49 results found in Neurodiversity.
- Allistic (Non-Autistic)
- A term used to describe people who are not autistic, regardless of whether they are neurotypical in other respects. The term was created within autistic communities to provide a specific counterpart t…
- AuDHD (Autism and ADHD co-occurrence)
- A term used by the neurodivergent community to describe the co-occurrence of autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in the same individual. Research suggests significant…
- Audio-Visual Entrainment (AVE, Brainwave Entrainment)
- Audio-visual entrainment (AVE) is a therapeutic technique that uses rhythmic light and sound stimuli to influence brainwave activity, guiding the brain toward specific frequency states associated with…
- Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS, ADOS-2)
- A standardized diagnostic protocol for autism that uses structured and semi-structured social interaction tasks between an examiner and the person being assessed. First published in 1989 and designed …
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, Autism)
- A neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, sensory processing, and patterns of behavior and interests. Autism exists on a broad spectrum with highly variable …
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD, Autism)
- A neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social communication, sensory processing, and patterns of behavior or interests. Autism exists on a spectrum, meaning it presents differe…
- Autistic Burnout (Autistic Fatigue, Neurodivergent Burnout)
- A state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion experienced by autistic people, often resulting from the cumulative effect of masking (suppressing autistic traits to appear neurotypical), sensor…
- Autistic Joy
- A concept articulated by Elliot Wassell and widely discussed in autistic communities describing the intense, absorbing pleasure autistic people can experience in special interests, sensory engagement,…
- Autistic Sociality (Autistic Social Interaction, Atypical Sociality)
- The distinct ways in which autistic people form social connections, build community, and engage in relationships — which differ from neurotypical social norms but are not deficient. Autistic sociality…
- Camouflaging (Masking, Social Camouflage, Autistic Masking)
- Camouflaging, also known as masking, is the conscious or unconscious suppression of autistic traits and adoption of neurotypical behaviors in order to fit into social situations. This can include forc…
- Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q)
- A 25-item self-report questionnaire developed by Hull, Mandy, Lai, Baron-Cohen and colleagues (2019) for adults to self-assess autistic masking (camouflaging) behaviours. Items are rated on a 7-point …
- Celebratory technology
- Technology designed to highlight, affirm, and celebrate neurodivergent and disabled ways of being, rather than seeking to correct, normalize, or remediate them. Coined by LouAnne Boyd (2023), celebrat…
- Complementary Cognition
- A theory proposed by Taylor, Fernandes, and Wraight suggesting that the human species has adapted and evolved cognitively to complement each other through cognitive specializations and effective colla…
- Cross-neurotype communication (Cross-neurological communication, Neurotype-crossing communication)
- Communication between individuals with different neurological profiles, most commonly between autistic and neurotypical people. Cross-neurotype communication is characterized by differences in convers…
- Decreased Sound Tolerance (DST, Sound Intolerance)
- Decreased sound tolerance (DST) is an umbrella term for conditions in which everyday sounds are perceived as uncomfortably loud, threatening, or emotionally distressing. It encompasses hyperacusis (ab…
- Demand Avoidance (Pathological Demand Avoidance, PDA, Persistent Drive for Autonomy)
- An inner resistance to perceived demands — even self-imposed ones — that can lead to inability to start, change, or complete tasks. Demand avoidance is associated with an autism profile sometimes call…
- Developmental Learning Disorder (DLD, Specific Learning Disorder, Learning Disability)
- A group of neurodevelopmental conditions that affect the acquisition and use of specific academic skills such as reading, writing, or mathematics. Developmental Learning Disorders include dyslexia (af…
- Double empathy problem (Double empathy theory)
- A theory proposed by Damian Milton (2012) that reframes communication difficulties between autistic and neurotypical individuals as arising from a mutual lack of understanding rather than a deficit in…
- Dyscalculia (Math Learning Disability, Number Blindness, Mathematics Disorder)
- A specific learning disorder that affects the ability to acquire, understand, and manipulate numerical and mathematical concepts. People with dyscalculia may have difficulty with number sense, memoriz…
- Emotional regulation (Emotion regulation, Affect regulation, Self-regulation)
- The ability to monitor, evaluate, and modify emotional responses to meet situational demands and personal goals. Emotional regulation is often challenging for people with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and ot…