Group for Research in Relationships And NeuroDiversity - GRRAND

“I Guess when a Lot of People Collectively Outwardly Don’t Like you, you Start to find a Dislike Within Yourself”: Experiences of Belonging Among Autistic Adolescents Assigned Female at Birth in Mainstream School Settings - School Mental Health There is evidence that feeling a sense of belonging supports pupils’ social acceptance and is a protective factor against harmful psychological outcomes. Despite this, limited research has considered autistic girls’ belonging experiences in mainstream schools and what needs to change to facilitate belonging. Personal constructs and lived experiences of school belonging were explored using semi-structured interviews and personalised activities (e.g. drawings and poetry) with 18 autistic adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) in mainstream school settings. Participants were involved in the data analysis process as they commented on codes and themes. We generated three main themes from the data. Theme 1) “Wanting to feel seen and heard” focussed on the recognition and validation of the autistic experience and identity, and how understanding of autism informs practice. Theme 2) “Longing to belong” focussed on the young people’s experience of trying to develop relationships with others, their experiences of trying to fit in, and the impact that this had on them. Theme 3) “Sensory build-up results in shutdown” focussed on the overwhelming nature of the sensory environment in school, and the impact that this has on both the learning and social experience. All participants want to be externally valued, heard, and involved in the school community. However, aspects of masking, stigma and sensory experiences limit the girls’ belonging in school. Implications for professionals and future research are discussed along with recommendations. The latter can inform future school mental health policy and practice to create emotionally healthy school environments, in which autistic young people can be their authentic selves and have their best lives.

new paper from our wonderful team, experiences of #belonging of autistic AFAB students in mainstream secondary schools
link.springer.com/article/10.1...

This is so powerful, neurodivergent kids carry a heavier emotional burden in mainstream schools.
The students in this report talk a lot about the negative impact of certain interactions with adults in school 😔

Important insights in our latest paper into the emotional lives of young people with diagnoses of #ADHD, #autism or #AuDHD highlighting the specific nature of environmental provocations when designing mental health intervention.
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... @uclpals.bsky.social

Social media and autistic mental health research; Shaping the agenda together / Blog | GRRAND By Emma Hyner and Krysia Waldock

Our latest blog captures the journey behind our new paper “Social Media and Autistic Mental Health Research: Shaping the Agenda Together” (In Press currently at Autism in Adulthood Journal)
www.neurodiversity-research.org/blog/2675071...

Systems meant to help often harm #neurodivergent people, especially where biases overlap, causing trauma + marginalisation.

This conference is your chance to connect, collaborate + spark real change✨

All things #trauma #autism #adhd #learningdisabilities #clinical #practice

JCPP Advances | ACAMH Child Development Journal | Wiley Online Library Background Accounts of emotional dysregulation in autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are typically based on external adult observations anchored in neurotypical notions of em.....

NEW paper - Read to find out what young neurodivergent people report as key dysregulation triggers and find out how this can change the game on how define and support emotion regulation in schools....
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

On average, autistic, ADHD & AuDHD students experience around 2x the emotional burden of their peers at school

This study shows that school environments expose on our young people to more frequent & more intense upsetting experiences, and those experiences take a toll

#autism #neurodiversity

Cautious Capitals: Parenting Autistic Children at Mainstream School - Caroline Oliver, Carol Vincent, Georgia Pavlopoulou, 2025 Family social class background significantly influences parents’ relationships with schools, yet the intersection of class with disability is often overlooked. ...

NEW PAPER journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

This paper's really interesting

May be my AuDHD daughter's total collapse in school may be due to her emotional burden (EB)

Her experience of commonly upsetting emotions (CUE) and their intensity became too great a burden to endure

School can create trauma & ruin mental health

acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

we are waiting for the longitudinal data and coproducing a new preventative whole school intervention...more to come

many implications- thinking how to lower/remove triggers via compassion, adjustments and strengthening relationships for instance.

www.annafreud.org/news/neurodi...

We are so lucky to have you as our Deputy!

www.annafreud.org/news/neurodi... #autism #adhd #mentalheath #newpublication #research

NEW PUBLICATION
The concept of emotion regulation as measured by the MESI could have implications for preventative interventions that aim to promote the wellbeing of autistic young people and those with ADHD and cut down risk of depression!
Fully coproduced codelivered with young ND researchers

EB levels were higher in the autism and/or ADHD groups, compared to the neurotypical group.
EB and ERD were associated with mental health problems, independent of each other.
Specific events provoking EB were different for ADHD and autistic adolescents.
#publication #emotion #schools #adhd #autism

The ‘My Emotions in School Inventory (MESI)’ was co-produced with young people with ADHD and/or autism to measure levels of emotional burden (EB – combining frequency of exposure to common upsetting events and intensity of emotional responses to them) in adolescents.

<em>Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry</em> | ACAMH Pediatric Journal | Wiley Online Library Background Mental health problems are elevated in adolescents with ADHD and/or autism. Emotion regulation deficits (ERD) have been hypothesised as a key driver of such difficulties. The Regulating E.....

New paper from our very own @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social and wonderful collaborative led by Prof Sonuga Barke.
In RE-STAR we are comparing Emotion Regulation Deficits (ERD) and Emotional Burden (EB) as potential mechanisms underpinning this risk.

acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

As hospitals in Gaza continue to be destroyed and Israeli govt is planning a prison camp for the Gazan population in Rafah, powerful @therestpolitics.bsky.social episode today on the crimes against humanity that are happening.

clipped the end summary below.

alastaircampbell.org/2025/07/425-...

JCPP Advances | ACAMH Child Development Journal | Wiley Online Library Background There is a growing expectation that neurodivergent young people, such as those with diagnoses of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism, should play a central role ...

2024/25 was a rich year for our #AnnaFreud & @grrand-team.bsky.social teams. One of my highlights:

Our RE-STAR paper (JCPP Advances, ACAMH) set a new benchmark in inclusive research, with, not about, neurodivergent youth.

📖 Read here - open access
acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

A tribute to the activists, researchers, and community members who have long worked toward more inclusive, justice-centered research;
And a challenge to the field; to go further.
with our very own co-editor @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social

Huge thanks to our Youth Researcher Panel & all who make co-production real 🙌

RE-STAR paper with PALS and Youth Researcher Panel wins BJPsych Editor’s Choice Award RE-STAR Paper Co-Authored by Youth Researcher Panel and UCL PALS’ Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou Wins Prestigious BJPsych Editor’s Choice Award

www.ucl.ac.uk/brain-scienc...

and our very own @jopavlopoulou.bsky.social !

A new collaboration with City University researchers on experiences of #adhd #autistic #audhd adults visiting Emergency Departments
1st consultation group with Ebes is now completed <3

🎉 Before we say goodbye to June, we're thrilled to share one more piece of good news.....a new publication is out! 📢

This paper marks a fantastic collaboration between @grrand-team.bsky.social and radiographers at City, University of London.

This study is part of the Regulating Emotions Strengthening Adolescent Resilience research programme at Kings College London which aims to cut the risk of teenage depression.

📱 👉 Sign-up via email re-starinfo@kcl.ac.uk
🎁 Earn a £50 voucher

RE-STAR

We are looking for #ADHD participants to take part in an interview study to understand how the school environment impacts the mood and emotions of neurodivergent young people who have experienced school attendance problems. (We have now completed the interviews with autistic teens)

Exploring perspectives on school emotional burden for autistic and/or ADHD youth with school attendance problems: a multi-informant study

11 – 16 years old and an ADHD and/or autism diagnosis?
Experienced school attendance problems?

[Logos: RE-STAR | King's College London | Royal Central School of Speech & Drama | UCL | Cardiff University | Barts Charity | Anna Freud | Queen Mary ]
Exploring perspectives on school emotional burden for autistic and/or ADHD youth with school attendance problems: a multi-informant study