Focus: Interrelational dynamics, the double empathy problem, boundary spanning and the diversity climate.
1. Transdiagnostic & Socio-Ecological Frameworks of Neurodiversity
This cluster contains the theoretical and conceptual foundations for how neurodiversity should be defined, with a strong emphasis on moving beyond purely medical labels in favor of social and ecological models.
Transdiagnostic brain models and overlap
- Apperly et al. (2024) — The transdiagnostic N+4 model for population studies.
- Astle et al. (2022); Fletcher-Watson (2022) — The transdiagnostic revolution within neurodevelopmental disorders and its significance for the neurodiversity paradigm.
- Antshel & Russo (2019) — Research into the overlapping phenomenology and diagnostic issues between autism (ASD) and ADHD.
Socio-ecological and philosophical approaches
- Chapman (2021) — Neurodiversity viewed through the social ecology of mental functions.
- Dwyer (2022) — What the various neurodiversity approaches concretely mean for scientific researchers.
- Milton (2012b) — Conceptual clarification of the ontological status of autism.
- Fellowes (2024) — The philosophical and psychiatric accuracy of self-diagnosis.
2. Social Skills, Empathy & The "Double Empathy" Problem
This theme forms the core of relational dynamics. How do neurodivergent adults communicate and feel, and where do the barriers arise in interaction with neurotypical majorities?
Empathy and emotion regulation (ASD vs. ADHD)
- Milton (2012a) — The introduction of the "double empathy problem": the idea that communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic people are two-sided.
- Eklund & Meranius (2021) — An overarching "review of reviews" into the fundamental nature of empathy.
- Hen et al. (2018) — Research into reduced emotional empathy in adults with subclinical ADHD.
- Shaw et al. (2014) — Emotion regulation (and its dysregulation) within the context of ADHD.
- Happ et al. (2023) — Qualitative study of the interpersonal relationships and online community experiences of adults with ADHD.
Development and measurement of social skills
- Beauchamp & Anderson (2010) — The SOCIAL framework: an integrative model for the development of social skills.
- Whittenburg et al. (2020) — Systematic literature review of interventions to improve work-related social skills of people with autism.
- Olaz et al. (2009) — The psychometric adaptation and validation of the Social Skills Inventory (IHS-Del-Prette).
- Pryke-Hobbes et al. (2023) — Research into the profound experiences of "masking" (social camouflaging) in the workplace by autistic and neuroatypical adults.
3. Boundary Spanning & Collective Intelligence in Groups
This cluster connects the individual to group dynamics. How do individuals bridge boundaries between different (cognitive) subgroups, and how does a team build collective intelligence?
The theory of Boundary Spanning
- Williams, P. (2002, 2011) — The foundational literature on the "competent boundary spanner" and the role and meaning of boundary spanners in complex, integrated settings.
- Marrone (2010) — A multilevel review of historical research on "team boundary spanning" and its future directions.
Group cognition and collective learning processes
- van Rijswijk, Curșeu & van Oortmerssen (2024) — Your systemic and integrative review of cognitive and neurodiversity in a group context (the theoretical anchor).
- Woolley et al. (2010) — The groundbreaking Science publication proving the existence of a "collective intelligence factor" in human groups.
- Curșeu, Pluut, Boroș & Meslec (2015) — The effect of collective emotional intelligence in learning groups.
- Curșeu & Pluut (2018) — Research into absorptive capacity and the external search for information by groups.
4. Organizational Climate, Inclusion & Embedding Neurodiversity
This substantial theme focuses on context: the culture and climate of the organization. How do you create an environment in which neurodiversity is genuinely leveraged as an advantage?
Reconstruction and meta-analysis of the "Diversity Climate"
- Holmes et al. (2021) — A substantial meta-analysis integrating 25 years of research into the organizational diversity climate.
- Cachat-Rosset, Carillo & Klarsfeld (2019) — Critical review of the definitions, dimensions and operationalization of the diversity climate concept.
- Goyal & Shrivastava (2013); Herdman & McMillan-Capehart (2010) — Models, measures and determinants of the diversity climate; demonstrating that merely setting up a "program" is not enough.
Neuro-inclusive management and workplace design
- Volpone, Avery & Wayne (2022) — How to shape organizational climates so that neurodiversity is strategically developed and leveraged.
- Austin & Pisano (2017); Krzeminska et al. (2019) — The benefits, challenges and competitive advantage of neurodiversity within formal HR strategy.
- Szulc (2022) — The AMO model applied to a neuro-inclusive, remote or hybrid workplace.
- Krzeminska & Hawse (2020); Houdek (2022); Rao & Polepeddi (2019) — Mainstreaming neuroatypical employees and the untapped opportunities this holds for public and private organizations.
- LeFevre-Levy et al. (2023) — Positioning neuroatypicality as a formal, fully-fledged dimension of workplace diversity.
- Van den Bosch et al. (2019); Zolyomi et al. (2018); Dugan et al. (1995); Kamps et al. (1995) — Practice cases, student teams and cooperative learning groups in which neurodiversity and inclusion are central.
- Larkey (1996) — The development and validation of the "Workforce Diversity Questionnaire" to measure interactions in diverse groups.
- Chin (2009); Huh, Kim & Carney (2019) — The psychology behind prejudice, discrimination, social skills and the broader climate of diversity.
- Rogge & Janssen (2019) — Literature review of the macroeconomic and organizational cost aspects of autism spectrum disorders.
5. Entrepreneurship and Advanced Multilevel Methodology
This supporting cluster links neurodiversity to the practice of top entrepreneurs and provides the multilevel statistics needed to model complex organizational structures.
Neurodiversity and the entrepreneurial spirit (ADHD & Dyslexia archetypes)
- Moore, McIntyre & Lanivich (2021) — The direct link between ADHD-related neurodiversity and possessing an "entrepreneurial mindset."
- Branson (2011) — Biographical case material (Richard Branson: dyslexia, ADHD and boundary-pushing entrepreneurship).
- Lowe (2007) — Biographical insights into the cognitive/entrepreneurial style of Bill Gates.
Advanced multilevel statistics and interaction effects
- Rockwood & Hayes (2017) — The MLmed SPSS macro: the gold standard for computing multilevel mediation and conditional process analysis (essential for modeling individual effects nested within teams).
- DiStefano, Zhu & Mindrila (2019) — Methodological considerations for the applied researcher in understanding and using factor scores.
- Siemsen, Roth & Oliveira (2010) — Mitigating Common Method Bias (CMB) when testing complex linear, quadratic and interaction models.
- Hayes & Coutts (2020) — The justification for preferring McDonald's Omega over Cronbach's alpha for reliability measurements.
- Kirkman & Chen (2011) — Methodological ethics: guidelines against the undesirable "slicing" of data across multiple publications from a single dataset.