Seen but not understood, responding to emotional distress at the intersection of neurodivergence and learning disability.

Udonsi, Patience

Abstract

People who are neurodivergent and have lived experience of learning disabilities may communicate their distress through behaviours which people around them may interpret as challenging. Distress may be as a result of the trauma of living, learning, working or socialising in unsuitable environments. Some learning disabled, neurodivergent people have had the additional trauma of experiencing physical restraint, chemical restraint and isolation. Practitioners and families supporting them must of necessity be equipped to recognise and respond to their distress appropriately.

Citation

Udonsi, P. (2023). Seen but not understood, responding to emotional distress at the intersection of neurodivergence and learning disability. Learning Disability Practice, 26(6), https://doi.org/10.7748/ldp.2023.e2227

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 26, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Oct 2, 2023
• Publication Date: Dec 5, 2023
• Deposit Date: Dec 13, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 18, 2023
• Journal: Learning Disability Practice
• Print ISSN: 1465-8712
• Publisher: RCN Publishing
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7748/ldp.2023.e2227
• Keywords: Learning Disability, Neurodivergence, Autism, Distress, Distressed Behaviour, Behaviours which challenge