EURODIVERGENCY FACTS AND INEQUALITIES
Inequalities with neurodivergent individuals:
43% of neuro-divergent individuals felt discouraged from the job application process
52% claimed to have experienced discrimination during the job interview/selection process
73% did not disclose their condition during the interview. 58% of people who did, regretted the decision.
As of July 2018, only 29% of Americans of working age (between ages 16 and 64) with disabilities participated in the workforce, compared to 75% of Americans without a disability. In 2017, the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities was two times as high as those without a disability, 9.2% as opposed to 4.2%. Furthermore, Neurodivergent individuals are approximately 40% more likely to be unemployed than people with any other disability. In the US, it is estimated that up to 85% of the autistic spectrum are unemployed.
Experts estimate that 85% of US graduates affected by autism are out of work, mainly caused by many applicants failing to meet a list of requirements for a job.
Neurodivergence Facts:
Around 1 in 7 people have a neurodivergent condition. It’s estimated that in the global adult population that 10% are dyslexic, 5% are dyspraxic, 4% have ADHD, and 1-2% are autistic
Driven by both genetics and environmental factors, an estimated 15-20% of the world's population exhibits some form of neurodivergence.
Studies found out that neurodivergent teams in the workforce are 30% more productive that neurotypical ones and make less errors.
Research shows that conditions such as autism and dyslexia are bestowed with special skills in pattern recognition, memory, and mathematics. It also showed that Autism presents a higher IQ than the average person.
Neurodivergent individuals also exhibits improved work productivity. JPMorgan Chases's Autism at Work Programme employed 175 people and reported that they are "90 to 140 percent more productive" in general. They reportedly made less mistakes and are doing "two people's work," according to Anthony Pacilio. Employees were also 48% faster at completing tasks and are 92% more produtive than their peers. Other companies have also reported that above-average diversity on their management teams produced 19% higher revenue than companies with below-average diversity, with 45% revenue gain instead of just 26%.
Common Types of Neurodiversity:
ADHD
ADHD occurs when your brain's decision-making functions are hindered during its development stage. The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but many genetic and environmental factors can trigger it.
There are 3 common types of symptoms:
1. Inattention
Signs: Having a short attention span, making careless mistakes (for example: on schoolwork), appearing forgetful or losing things, being unable to stick to tasks that are tedious or time-consuming, appearing to be unable to listen to or carry out instructions, constantly changing activity or task, and having difficulty organizing tasks
2. Impulsivity
Signs: Being unable to wait their turn, acting without thinking, interrupting conversations, and having little or no sense of danger
3. Hyperactivity
Signs: Being unable to sit still while in quiet surroundings, being fidgety, inability to concentrate on tasks, excessive talking, and excessive physical movement.
Information Taken From - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Common symptoms of ADHD include, but are not limited to:
Lack of focus
Poor time management
Disorganization
Impulsivity
Restlessness and anxiety
Relationship issues
The average age for moderate ADHD diagnosis is 7 years old.
Note: This is for informational purposes only; please consult a medical professional for advice.
AUTISM
There is not one "autism", but many different types. Autism affects information processing in the brain and is caused by genetic and environmental factors. The DSM-5 characterizes the two main symptoms of autism as:
Lack of social communication and interaction
Restricted or repetitive behaviors, interests, or activities
Some specific autism behaviors include:
Differences in body language
Lack of facial expressions
Reduced eye contact
Repeating gestures or sounds
Indifference to temperature extremes
The symptoms of autism are usually seen by age 3, although diagnosis could occur later.
Note: This is for informational purposes only; please consult a medical professional for advice
DYSCALCULUA
Dyscalculia is a disability that causes difficulty learning or understanding arithmetic, such as number concepts and calculations. Dyscalculia is most likely caused by genetics.
Some symptoms of dyscalculia are:
Difficulty understanding or remembering mathematical concepts
Difficulty connecting verbal or written cues with their math symbols
A hard time explaining math processes or showing work
Children can display symptoms of dyscalculia from ages 6-9 or even earlier.
Note: This is for informational purposes only; please consult a medical professional for advice
DYSLEXIA
Dyslexia is a learning disability which affects reading, spelling and/or writing skills. Some possible causes of dyslexia are:
Genetics
Premature birth or low birth weight
Exposure to alcohol or drugs during pregnancy
Some symptoms of dyslexia include:
Delay in speech
Issues recalling or naming letters, numbers and colors
Misspells words
Difficulty with learning numbers
Trouble learning
Dyslexia is most commonly identified during childhood, but it can go undiagnosed for years.
Note: This is for informational purposes only; please consult a medical professional for advice
DYSPRAXIA
Dyspraxia, also known as developmental coordination disorder, is a common disorder that affects movement and coordination, and is caused by genetic complications. It does not affect your intelligence, but it greatly reduces coordination skills - such as tasks requiring balance, playing sports or learning to drive a car. It could also affect fine motor skills, such as writing or using small objects. Some other difficulties may incude, but not limited to:
Difficulty with learn new skills, think, and remember information.
Difficulty with performing daily living skills such as preparing meals.
Difficulty with interacting with other people socially.
Difficulty with controlling emotions.
Difficulty with time management, planning and organization skills
TOURETTE'S SYNDROME
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that is characterized by sudden, rapid and unwanted movements or vocal sounds called tics. It is one of a group of disorders called tic disorders.
Tics come and go over time, varying in type. frequency, location, and severity. However, it is not a condition that continues to get worse, and does not impact life expectancy.
Examples of tics include:
- Sudden eye blinking or movements
- Sudden shoulder or head movements
- Sniffing of objects, hopping, jumping, bending, and twisting.
- Repeating one's own or others' s words of phrases
Severe cases may lead to self harm due to the unwanted sudden movements on the muscles.