Daily living skill support for autistic people through a neurodiversity-affirming practice lens.

This paper looks at how occupational therapists can help autistic people learn everyday skills like cooking, cleaning, and showering without trying to change who they are. These daily skills are important for living independently and having a good quality of life. The authors suggest that therapists should focus on helping autistic people in ways that respect their differences rather than trying to make them act like non-autistic people.

This theoretical paper examines how occupational therapists can support daily living skill (DLS) development in autistic people through neurodiversity-affirming practice. The authors explore the balance between providing targeted DLS support to improve quality of life and independent living while avoiding attempts to 'normalise' autistic individuals. The paper discusses how occupational therapy values align with neurodiversity movement principles and proposes that therapists can support DLS development using affirming approaches. The authors emphasise the importance of critical reflection to ensure practice aligns with professional values and recent occupational therapy models, while noting that further research is needed in this area.

Occupational therapists should critically reflect on their practice to ensure alignment with neurodiversity-affirming approaches when supporting daily living skills development. Focus should be on improving quality of life and independence while respecting autistic identity rather than attempting normalisation.

This is a theoretical paper without empirical data. No sample size or consumer involvement reported. The authors acknowledge limited research exists investigating daily living skills and neurodiversity-affirming practice, indicating this is an emerging area requiring further investigation.

Supporting daily living skill (DLS) development for autistic people is a component of occupational therapy practice. DLSs are essential for an increased quality of life (QoL), independent living, and community participation. Autistic young people experience poorer outcomes in terms of QoL and independent living than non-autistic peers. Finding a balance between targeted DLS support to maximise independent living and improve QoL, while avoiding attempts to 'normalise' or 'change' autistic people, presents as a dilemma for therapists striving to align with neurodiversity-affirming practice.

This theoretical paper explored literature pertaining to DLS and the neurodiversity movement in the context of occupational therapy values and the Canadian Model of Occupational Participation. Consideration of whether targeted DLS support is neurodiversity-affirming or whether occupational therapists are compelling autistic people to mimic behavioural norms perceived by society was discussed. DLSs are an important factor for maximising QoL, regardless of neurotype. Occupational therapy values align with the core tenets of the neurodiversity movement, and occupational therapists are equipped with the values and skills to support the development of DLSs utilising affirming practice.

Occupational therapists should critically reflect on their practice to ensure alignment with the professions core values and recent occupational therapy models, to ensure affirming practice. Further research investigating DLS and neurodiversity-affirming practice would benefit occupational therapists striving to align with neurodiversity-affirming practice. No consumer or community involvement. Consumers have been considered throughout the development of this paper through their representation in the literature.

This involved a process of reviewing the literature and considering it in the scope of the questions and how occupational therapy sits within the neurodiversity movement. It is important to help autistic people to learn to do everyday things. Everyday things include activities like showering, cleaning, and cooking. These things are important so that autistic people can live on their own.

It has shown that autistic young people are less likely to be able to do everyday activities on their own. It is important that therapists help autistic people learn how to do everyday things; however, do not try and change who they are. This is because completing everyday activities is an important part of QoL for all people.