Perspectives

In recent years, the conversation around autism and social challenges has shifted from deficit-based perspectives to those more holistic, compassionate, and neuroscience-informed. The biopsychosocial model—an integrative lens that acknowledges the biological, psychological, and social factors influencing a person’s behavior, development, and well-being—is coming into focus, for providers as well as for families and individuals.

Superman — the creation of two Jewish friends, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster,

The character they created wasn’t far from their own origin stories. They were socially awkward and intensely focused on their creative work. These traits are associated with autism — what used to be called Asperger syndrome

Autistic people may face unique challenges that increase their risk for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, even suicidality. Several factors contribute to this increased risk.

Let’s name it: neurodivergent people—especially those with autism, ADHD, or both (hi, AuDHD fam!)—are often misunderstood in social spaces. We might miss or misinterpret social cues, need longer processing time, or struggle with initiating contact. Many of us also carry a history of being bullied, excluded, or pressured to change in order to “fit in.” That’s not just painful—it’s relational trauma.

Early in 2025, a paper published on a WordPress blog called "Science, Public Health Policy and the Law" (not a real scientific journal) claimed that vaccinated children in Florida's Medicaid program had much higher rates of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. 

This study, by Mawson and Jacob, was funded by the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), a group that is known for being against vaccines. Despite the fact that this paper repeats a previous study that was taken back and goes against decades of strong research showing no link between vaccines and autism, it's spreading quickly among parent groups and going viral on social media.

Researchers, led by Professor Jean Decety from the University of Chicago's Department of Psychology and Psychiatry, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the brain activity of individuals with high "justice sensitivity". These participants were shown videos depicting morally good or bad behaviors and asked to rate their level of praise or blame for the actors in the scenes.