Neurdivergence in Complex Chronic Conditions

Neurodivergence describes a set of neurodevelopmental conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (henceforth "Autism", Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and Tourette's Syndrome. Neurodivergent people may think and perceive the world differently, interact with other people differently, and experience emotions in a unique way. We also know that being neurodivergent is linked with dramatically increased risks for mental and physical health conditions, where it is reported that up to 84% of neurodivergent adults suffer from poor health. Previous research from our group suggests that some patient populations, namely those with specific complex chronic conditions (CCCs) have especially high rates of "hidden", that is, undiagnosed neurodiversity. These complex chronic conditions include both physical and mental health conditions, specifically chronic pain and fatigue, and complex personality presentations (i.e., Borderline/Emotionally Intense/Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, Complex Posttraumatic stress disorder [C-PTSD]). This project aims to find out how many people with these complex chronic conditions meet criteria for autism or ADHD, and have associated traits. It is important to detect neurodivergence, and to adjust treatment and care options accordingly. Identifying the prevalence of neurodivergent traits in patients with CCCs is the first step in assessing commonalities in these populations, and ultimately finding targeted treatment opportunities. To do so, we recruited individuals with CCCs (diagnosis of chronic pain/fatigue and/or complex personality presentation), and individuals without CCCs. Participants were asked to fill out a survey that includes diagnostic screening questionnaires for autism and ADHD, and questionnaires assessing neurodivergent traits, such as masking/camouflaging behaviour, sensory sensitivities, rejection sensitivity, and dissociative experiences.