Entangled Identities: Neurodivergent self-expression through social media

Introduction

Neurodivergence has recently become a common way of self-identifying for people in relation to their mental health (e.g., Autism, ADHD). However, neurodiversity as a social movement is a rather recent phenomenon with changing definitions and understandings.  

Goals and methods

The project is a digital ethnography. Two RAs used the same platform accounts and collected content (n=1600) from popular social media platforms (e.g., TikTok, Instagram, Reddit) over 12 months. The content strategy included specific hashtags, liking posts, influencing algorithms, and following creators. For inclusion, the content must be related to self-expression, identity, and experiences with neurodivergence. The content was organized into QDA software, coded, and grouped into themes that allowed for a discourse analysis to help us understand the neurodiversity movement by those who self-identify as neurodivergent.

Results (obtained or expected)

Preliminary findings suggest that the current online discourse is not representative and mirrors the privileges in real life of whose voices are heard, despite intentionally engaging with content from racialized curators and specific hashtags. Much of the content consists of users seeking connection and validation of their experiences. The validity of self-diagnosis emerged as a popular topic and resonated with many users. Through connection-seeking, social media influenced many to seek medical diagnosis. Influencers were an unanticipated finding, including the monetization of their content, and how influencer perspectives of neurodivergence are advancing the shifting discourse. As predicted, there were different uses for different platforms: Instagram content focused on professionals, practitioners, and organizations; Reddit had reflections of experience and identity; TikTok provided a deeper look into parasocial relationships.

Conclusions

Understanding the evolution of neurodivergent identities alongside the development of the neurodiversity movement in its current state holds implications for the health sciences (mental health research, education, policy, and practice) and the social science and humanities (identity formation and negotiations of subjectivity).