Neurodiversity-Affirming Behavior Strategies

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What does “neurodiversity-affirming” mean?

Being neurodiversity-affirming means acknowledging and respecting that everyone’s brain works differently. Instead of viewing neurodivergence as something that needs to be “fixed,” neurodiversity-affirming approaches focus on understanding and supporting each person’s unique needs, strengths, and challenges. In the webinar Addressing Challenging Behaviors: Neurodiversity-Affirming Strategies for Schools, clinical psychologist Dr. Lucas Harrington explains, “the heart of being neurodiversity-affirming is respecting the realities of the brain. It’s about thinking, ‘What does this child’s brain need for success’ rather than ‘How can I make them act like everyone else?’”

Why is it important to use neurodiversity-affirming behavior strategies in schools?

Behavior is a form of communication.This discrepancy can be partially attributed to a lack of understanding of how to interpret behaviors and how to provide appropriate support.  When a student’s needs are not met, their frustration is often displayed through behaviors that are viewed as challenging or disruptive. When schools fail to adopt neurodiversity-affirming strategies, students can be left feeling misunderstood, unsupported, and alienated. Special education students are disciplined at a higher rate than their neurotypical peers. Neurodiversity-affirming behavior strategies can address behavior issues in a way that acknowledges students’ unique needs, which can ultimately decrease behavior incidents, suspensions, expulsions, and chronic absenteeism. 

What is the difference between neurodiversity-affirming behavior strategies and traditional behavior strategies? 

Traditional behaviorism focuses on rewards and punishments. It assumes that students will behave “appropriately” if they have external motivation. Neurodiversity-affirming strategies view challenging behaviors as the outward expression of unmet needs. While traditional behaviorism focuses on incentivizing specific behaviors, neurodiversity-affirming strategies focus on addressing those unmet needs so that the student no longer has to outwardly express the need through “disruptive” behavior.

For example, let’s say that an autistic student has an outburst. During this outburst, the student intentionally knocks a stack of paper off their desk, scattering them throughout the classroom. Traditional behaviorism might suggest taking away a privilege, such as recess, or sending the child to time-out as a consequence . However, a neurodiversity-affirming approach would focus on understanding what triggered the outburst and helping the student regulate their emotions by offering a sensory break or quiet space to calm down. 

Strategies for Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming Classroom

Understand the Root Causes of Behavior

When a student displays challenging behavior, try to identify the unmet need that led to it. For example, disorganization may stem from executive functioning challenges. Chronic lateness may stem from anxiety. Disruptive outbursts and meltdowns can stem from overwhelm. Collaborate with the student, their family, and other professionals, if necessary, to identify the root cause of the behavior and different ways to address it. This approach not only helps students learn to self-advocate and regulate their emotions, but also validates their feelings and empowers them to learn how to manage their needs. Our Guide to Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Special Education explores the root causes of common behaviors along with proactive and reactive strategies to address them.

Provide Predictability and Structure

Changes in routine or schedule can be difficult for neurodivergent students. Provide clear, consistent schedules and give them a heads-up about changes when possible. This can reduce anxiety and help students feel safe and prepared. Consider using visual schedules, so students can quickly see what is on the agenda for the day.

Create Sensory-Friendly Space

Sensory overload, overwhelm, and emotional dysregulation are at the root of many challenging behaviors. Sensory-friendly spaces give students a place to recharge when they need to regulate their emotions or reduce their sensory stimuli. Our Sensory Space Guide provides details on how to create a sensory space, whether it’s a room or corner of a classroom.

Invest in Neurodiversity-Affirming Tools

With nationwide special education teacher shortages and limited products made specifically for neurodivergent students, it can be tough for schools to consistently meet every student’s unique needs. Investing in neurodiversity-affirming tools can help educators support students more effectively. Tools like Ava by Social Cipher provide an engaging way to address students’ social and emotional needs. Ava is an SEL game and curriculum that helps students learn and strengthen SEL skills such as emotional regulation, self-awareness, and self-advocacy – all of which can positively impact behavior. Tools like Ava can be implemented by teachers and even substitutes, allowing for consistency in support even when resources are stretched thin. As Duncan mentioned in the webinar, using strong-research based products in classrooms can equip both experienced and less-experienced educators with the right tools to support neurodivergent students.

Encourage Self-Advocacy

Encouraging self-advocacy is key to empowering neurodivergent students. When students understand their own needs and feel comfortable expressing them, they’re more likely to thrive. As Dr. Lucas Harrington mentioned in the webinar, “behavior is often a way for students to communicate when something isn’t working for them. Instead of focusing on trying to control behaviors, neurodiversity-affirming approaches help students understand what they need and how to ask for it.” This not only helps with emotional regulation but also builds a sense of confidence in their ability to navigate challenges.

Avoid Harmful Practices

Sometimes the most impactful changes aren't about adding new strategies. It’s about stopping the ones that aren’t working. Dr. Harrington highlights that when resources are tight, a powerful step teachers can take is to stop doing things that cause more harm than good. A key way to do this is by choosing battles wisely. For example, if enforcing a certain rule or limit leads to constant power struggles and meltdowns, it’s worth considering if those rules are necessary or if they are just in place because “that’s how it’s always been done.” This doesn’t mean to lower expectations. Instead, by letting go of practices that don’t serve the student’s needs, teachers can free up mental energy to focus on higher-priority tasks, such as learning more about how to support individual student needs. 

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Neurodiversity-affirming behavior strategies ensure that every student feels respected, valued, and supported. By creating inclusive classrooms that also meet students’ social and emotional needs, educators can foster environments where all students have the support they need to succeed. Traditional behaviorism is the norm in U.S. schools, but as the U.S. Department of Education research shows, that approach is not effective at keeping special education students in the classroom. By transitioning to neurodiversity-affirming strategies, educators can better understand and address the root causes of challenging behaviors and help neurodivergent students build the self-advocacy, emotional regulation, and self-awareness skills they need to be successful in and out of the classroom.

Our online SEL curriculum and game Ava helps neurodivergent students build essential SEL skills, such as emotional regulation and self-advocacy, which can reduce disruptive behaviors in the classroom. Let's chat about how Ava can support your students and create a more positive, neurodiversity-affirming environment.

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Sources

edWeb. “Addressing Challenging Behaviors: Neurodiversity-Affirming Strategies for Schools.”

(Webinar). September 2024. Link

U.S. Department of Education. 2020-2021 Civil Rights Data Collection. Link

Social Cipher. “Sensory Break Activities.” Link

Social Cipher. “Social Cipher Sensory Space Guide.” Link

Social Cipher. “ Guide to Addressing Challenging Behaviors in Special Education.” Link

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