Scoping Review Maps Diagnoses Associated With Neurodiversity and Neurodivergence in Mental Health Research

A JAMA Psychiatry scoping review examined which clinical diagnoses are associated with neurodivergence and neurodiversity in empirical mental health research. Conducted with experts with lived experience, the review followed JBI methods and PRISMA scoping review reporting guidance. Searches of four databases through August 1, 2025, identified 134 studies involving 151,134 participants recruited as neurodivergent or neurodiverse.

Participant identification most commonly relied on self-reported diagnoses in 56 studies (41.8%) or self-identification in 50 (37.3%). Autism appeared in 92 studies (68.7%) and ADHD in 86 (64.2%), followed by dyslexia in 44 (32.8%), dyspraxia in 21 (15.7%), anxiety disorder in 20 (14.9%), and dyscalculia in 17 (12.7%). Twenty-nine studies (21.6%) did not specify any clinical diagnoses. These percentages describe studies, not diagnostic prevalence among participants.

The authors conclude that these terms can capture lived experience but lack the specificity needed for research focused on clinical categories. They suggest prioritizing precise diagnostic descriptors in clinical practice and clinically defined research, while reserving neurodivergent for contexts focused on identity and self-identification. The review maps terminology rather than evaluating treatment or diagnostic accuracy; this report is based on the abstract, with full text unavailable.