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Neurodiversity-informed inclusive understanding of neurological differences

Neurodiversity is a concept that acknowledges the wide range of neurological differences, yet societal norms rooted in neurotypical standards often stigmatize these differences. We propose adopting a ‘big tent’ approach to neurodiversity that embraces a broad spectrum of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions in identity and advocacy.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Culture Lab Innovation Fund, the Harvard Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging for funding this work, the support of the Global Mental Health@Harvard Initiative, Harvard’s Academic Resource Center, and valuable advice by V. Patel, as well as the help and support of the Harvard Community.

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Correspondence to Walid Yassin.

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Several of the authors identify as neurodivergent and are active in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space related to neurodiversity. Additionally, W.Y. is the Director of the Neurodiversity Project at Harvard University. The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Larrauri, C.A., Stein, M.A., Wickramasinghe, A. et al. Neurodiversity-informed inclusive understanding of neurological differences. Nat. Mental Health 3, 271–273 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00398-3

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