Your Customers Are Neurodiverse! Businesses May Be Overlooking the Needs of 30% of Their Customers.
We are neurodiverse!
Human brains function in many different ways. There are significant neurological differences between us. As a result, we experience and perceive the world in our unique ways. We also have different talents, strengths, challenges, and needs.
Yet, customer service systems and messaging are designed for neurotypical customers with what is considered typical brain wiring. Frontline employees often lack the skills and tools to effectively communicate with and address the needs of neurodivergent customers — individuals whose brains function differently. What percentage of your customers are neurodivergent?
The numbers
Data: Traditionally, neurodivergent individuals include persons with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, and Tourette's syndrome. Government agencies and other organizations estimate that neurodivergent individuals constitute 15–20 percent of the world’s population.
Over the last two decades, the number of children and adults diagnosed with neurodevelopmental conditions has been growing substantially. The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder more than quadrupled between 2000 and 2020. One million more U.S. children between the ages of 3–17 years had been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2022, compared to 2016.
Dyslexia affects 20 percent of the population.
Over half of Generation Z identify as neurodivergent, with 22 percent definitely and 31 percent somewhat.
How come the estimated percentage of neurodivergent individuals is 15–20 percent while the percentage of individuals with dyslexia alone is 20 percent, and the number of young adults identifying as neurodivergent is over 50 percent?
What is the actual number of neurodivergent individuals in our customer markets?
It is definitely higher than the 15–20 percent suggested by the U.S. government agencies and other organizations — it is at least 30 percent.
Here’s why:
A large number of neurodivergent individuals don’t seek or need a formal diagnosis
Neurodivergent persons, primarily adults and girls, have limited access to diagnostic services
No need for a formal diagnosis
Individuals may seek a formal diagnosis to gain access to medications, therapy, other treatments, supportive services, or reasonable adjustments at work or school. However, many neurodivergent adults don’t see the benefits of the diagnosis because they don’t need those services and modifications.
Coping strategies. They don’t need access to medications and therapy as they don’t experience mental wellness issues. They’ve built happy, healthy, and fulfilling relationships and careers. They’ve developed successful and creative strategies to cope with their daily challenges, such as sensory sensitivities. They’ve found their niche and built their careers around their passions and talents.
Remote work and learning. They don’t need reasonable adjustments as they work from home or attend school online. They participate in virtual meetings and conferences. They’ve built home environments that perfectly address the needs of their unique brains.
Assistive devices. They use the latest technology to address their challenges in executive functioning, communication, and sensory processing — from AI personal assistants, automatic spell checks, and screen readers to noise-canceling headphones.
Self-diagnosis and identification. They use online tools and questionnaires for self-diagnosis. Some individuals identifying as neurodivergent don’t meet all diagnostic criteria for specific conditions. Instead, they recognize neurodivergent traits in their own experiences and behaviors.
Avoiding negative labels. Neurodivergent persons are often labeled as lazy, cold, unempathetic, irrational, rude, messy, awkward, and offensive. They might decide not to seek a formal diagnosis and not to disclose their neurodivergence in order to avoid those negative labels.
Limited access to diagnostic services
Those who might benefit from a formal diagnosis often have limited access to diagnostic services.
Long wait times for a diagnosis (e.g., in the United Kingdom)
Time-consuming and expensive diagnostic process
No or limited diagnostic services available for adults (e.g., in the United States)
Minimal education in neurodevelopmental conditions for psychotherapists, social workers, and teachers
Professionals who diagnose neurodevelopmental conditions often focus on neurodivergent behaviors rather than experiences. This results in the underdiagnosis among girls and women who effectively mask their neurodivergent traits.
To learn how to better communicate with and serve your neurodivergent customers, contact us at beata@communicationbybeata.com or (813) 904-7097.
Data References:
1. Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. (2022, April 25). Neurodiversity. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health. https://dceg.cancer.gov/about/diversity-inclusion/inclusivity-minute/2022/neurodiversity
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, January 25). Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Data and Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/autism/data-research/index.html
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 16). Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Data and Statistics on ADHD. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html
4. Danielson, M. L., Claussen, A. H., Bitsko, R. H., Katz, S. M., Newsome, K., Blumberg, S. J., Kogan, M. D., & Ghandour. R. (2024). ADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 2024, May 22, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2024.2335625
5. The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity. (n.d.). Dyslexia FAQ. Yale University. Retrieved June 5, 2024, from https://dyslexia.yale.edu/dyslexia/dyslexia-faq/
6. ZenBusiness. (2023). New ZenBusiness Research Finds Class of 2023 Sees Neurodiversity as an Asset in Leadership & is Primed to be the Most Entrepreneurial [News release]. Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230614082058/en/New-ZenBusiness-Research-Finds-Class-of-2023-Sees-Neurodiversity-as-an-Asset-in-Leadership-is-Primed-to-be-the-Most-Entrepreneurial