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‘A storm of post-it notes’: Experiences of perceptual capacity in autism and ADHD

Brian Irvine, Freya Elise, Jana Brinkert, Daniel Poole, Emily K. Farran, Elizabeth Milne, Gaia Scerif, Laura Crane, and Anna Remington (2024)

https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241229004

A large accessible survey was designed by a neurodiverse group of researchers to find out about focus and distraction. It was shared with autistic adults, adults with ADHD, autistic adults with ADHD and a group from the predominant neurotype (PNT). Five main themes were identified through a thematic analysis by a neurodivergent team: • a constantly busy mind • a barrage of information • workarounds • intense focus • working without reflection (a PNT theme) Findings give ecological validity to the suggestion that autistic people experience increased perceptual capacity. It's not just seen in labs. All participants also shared workarounds they had developed to overcome challenges. These included ways to find motivation, navigate others impose order and modulate input. Timers, music, headphones, finding calm, bribing oneself and movement all have their parts to play... and neurodivergent groups excel in developing workarounds for different situations. While everyone was positive about states of intense focus, PNTs were likely to keep some sense of their environment and needs. The neurodiverse often experienced total immersion. States of intense focus are wonderful, they are seen to lead to a rich inner world that facilitates creativity, but it may come with a cost of increased anxiety and rumination. Processing large amounts of information about the world is hard. Autistic people spoke of being overwhelmed by information, while those with ADHD talked about being overloaded by priorities. Perceptual capacity - the amount of information we can take in at any moment - offers a useful framework to promote a better understanding of our own perceptual experiences, and to guide workarounds to challenges. Supported by: Pears Foundation Economic and Social Research Council

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charliehamiltoncrae

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