Phenomenology of Neurodiversity

The term “neurodiversity” is commonly used to refer to intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder, which are the neurodevelopmental disorders with the most severe impact on a person”s overall functioning along the life-span. Although a wide interpersonal variability, these conditions are associated with peculiarities in the subjective existential experience and in the psychological insight, with a particular reference to areas of emotionality, spirituality, practical skills, socialization, and psychic suffering. These peculiarities lead to a complex psycho-physical continuous vulnerability, including neurovegetative dystonia, lack of environmental mastery, low coping, difficulties in self-determination, repeated losses, and societal exclusion. Care provision should aim at improving quality of life, by enabling the “neurodiverse” (or “psycho-characterized”) person to pursue a selfdevelopment aimed at optimizing the relationship between importance and satisfaction in the most emic areas of life, such as being, belonging, and becoming.