New Research: Charlie Health’s Neurodivergent-Affirming Care Boosts Client Outcomes

Research shows that affirming the experiences and identity of people with neurodivergent traits positively affects client mental health outcomes.

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As neurodivergence becomes a focus of greater attention and research, gaps remain in the availability of affirming mental healthcare. Too often, treatment emphasizes reducing neurodivergent traits instead of recognizing a client’s unique identity and lived experiences—the latter an approach known as neurodivergent-affirming care.

For many of Charlie Health’s neurodivergent clients, this affirming approach is essential. Recent peer-reviewed research from Charlie Health reveals that mental health outcomes improve significantly when diagnosis and treatment respect and validate neurodivergent identities. These findings highlight the impact of client-centered, neurodivergent-affirming care as administered in Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Below, we review the research findings, as well as how you or a loved one can access neurodivergent-affirming virtual IOP. 

A look at the research methods

Conducted by the Research and Clinical Outcomes team at Charlie Health, the researchers studied data on over 6,700 clients enrolled in Charlie Health’s virtual IOP between April and October 2023. 

Data were collected from client surveys completed at intake and discharge, where clients reported their neurodivergent identity, diagnoses, and levels of depression, anxiety, and self-harm. Then, researchers compared mental health symptoms at intake and discharge based on neurodivergent identity and diagnosis. 

Neurodivergent-affirming care research findings

Researchers found that while neurodivergent clients reported worse mental health symptoms at intake than neurotypical clients, both groups showed similar changes in symptom scores after completing Charlie Health’s neurodivergent-affirming treatment. 

Here are some other key findings: 

• 61% of clients with at least one neurodivergent condition started treatment with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and self-harm days as compared to neurotypical clients.

• Clients who identified as neurodivergent but did not report an official affirming medical diagnosis reported significantly worse mental health symptoms at intake than those who did report an affirming medical diagnosis.
• At discharge from Charlie Health, no significant differences were found in symptom change scores between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals or neurodivergent individuals with an affirming diagnosis and those without.

The final finding suggests that neurodivergent clients benefit equally from treatment at Charlie Health as compared to neurotypical people, indicating the program’s effectiveness in supporting people with diverse cognitive profiles without bias toward neurotypical standards. 

Why is neurodivergent-affirming care important?

This research emphasizes the need to affirm neurodivergent identities within mental health diagnoses and treatments. “By supporting a neurodivergent client’s identity, regardless of medical assessment or diagnosis, clients report strong outcomes post-treatment,” researchers said. 

Also, these findings specifically reinforce the power of Charlie Health’s neurodivergent-affirming care, which incorporates individual and family therapy sessions, along with peer groups that connect neurodivergent clients. Charlie Health’s virtual IOP proved as beneficial for neurodivergent clients as for neurotypical clients by acknowledging symptoms and experiences, offering accommodations when requested, and supporting identity formation regardless of diagnosis. This approach shows Charlie Health’s commitment to ensuring equitable outcomes for all clients. 

How to access neurodivergent-affirming care with Charlie Health

If you or a loved one are looking for neurodivergent-affirming mental healthcare, Charlie Health is here to help. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides more than once-weekly mental health treatment for young people and families dealing with serious mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, trauma, and more. Our expert clinicians incorporate neurodivergent-affirming therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With this kind of holistic treatment, managing your well-being is possible. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start healing today.