Neurodiverse Research Collaboration Within a European Biomedical Project: Limits and Possibilities

The growth of the neurodiversity movement has brought about new ethical, theoretical, and political debates within autism theory and research. These debates bring forth the pressing issue of developing better practices for neurodiversity-affirmative research. In this chapter, we focus on how R2D2-MH—a large international biomedical project on Risk and Resilience in Developmental Diversity and Mental Health—works with neurodivergent knowledge production. R2D2-MH aims to improve the mental health outcomes of young neurodivergent people across the lifespan. Therefore, this biomedical project made it a priority to work with co-creation groups and explicitly engage with neurodivergent communities. We write from the perspectives of our different roles in R2D2-MH: facilitator and member of the adult co-creation group, and member of R2D2-MH scientific advisory board. We draw on collaborative autoethnographic methodology to explore and reflect upon our experiences of co-creation and neurodiverse (A neurodiverse spaceneuromixed group is one where multiple neurocognitive styles are represented (Walker, 2021).) research spaces during the first year of R2D2-MH. In this chapter, we are imagining possibilities for such an international co-creation groupcollaboration group not only as an add-on to the project but as an integrated part of the research project. Within this chapter, we consider the limits and possibilities of a neurodiverse research collaboration, while paying attention to how this way of doing research has the potential to be a caring, epistemic healing experience, as well as a learning experience for all people involved.