Monique Botha
@drmbothapsych.bsky.social
Autistic and ADHD researcher focusing on minority stress, meta-science, and dehumanization of neurodivergent people in science and research. Big believer in #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs
DON'T MISS this article by @tmburns08.bsky.social @drmbothapsych.bsky.social @durhampsych.bsky.social who found that autistic people had more distress and conflict around their identity and poorer mental health than non-autistic people.
FREE until November 25th
FREE until November 25th
In an online survey by @tmburns08.bsky.social @drmbothapsych.bsky.social @durhampsych.bsky.social, autistic people had more distress and conflict around their identity and poorer mental health than non-autistic people.
FREE until November 25th
www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/...
FREE until November 25th
www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1177/...
November 20, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by Monique Botha
Interesting, useful - and welcome confirmation that I'm not alone in hating misuse of 'neurodiverse' to describe an individual!
📣New research
Q: What do neurodivergent people think about words like "neurodiversity".
A: it's complicated; they use it, but it has limitations and could stigmatise.
Full paper: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
(1 of 2)
Q: What do neurodivergent people think about words like "neurodiversity".
A: it's complicated; they use it, but it has limitations and could stigmatise.
Full paper: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
(1 of 2)
‘A Lovely Safe Umbrella to Describe Yourself With’ or ‘Meaningless’: An Online Survey of UK-Based Neurodivergent Adults’ Views of Neurodiversity-Related Terminology - Aimee Grant, Jennifer Leigh, Moni...
Background: Neurodivergence refers to people with ways of behaving and thinking that diverge from the norm. Examples include Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperacti...
journals.sagepub.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Interesting, useful - and welcome confirmation that I'm not alone in hating misuse of 'neurodiverse' to describe an individual!
Reposted by Monique Botha
Absolutely insane.
Labour would have purged and smeared someone like Zohran Mamdani.
Wes Streeting's politics align far more closely with Andrew Cuomo.
The lessons from Mamdani are about how to defeat both the right - and the bankrupt "centre".
Labour would have purged and smeared someone like Zohran Mamdani.
Wes Streeting's politics align far more closely with Andrew Cuomo.
The lessons from Mamdani are about how to defeat both the right - and the bankrupt "centre".
November 5, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Absolutely insane.
Labour would have purged and smeared someone like Zohran Mamdani.
Wes Streeting's politics align far more closely with Andrew Cuomo.
The lessons from Mamdani are about how to defeat both the right - and the bankrupt "centre".
Labour would have purged and smeared someone like Zohran Mamdani.
Wes Streeting's politics align far more closely with Andrew Cuomo.
The lessons from Mamdani are about how to defeat both the right - and the bankrupt "centre".
Reposted by Monique Botha
Just found out my 12yo is getting recruiting ads for ICE on his school computer. “Help your country. $50k signing bonus.” Depraved and predatory
October 29, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Just found out my 12yo is getting recruiting ads for ICE on his school computer. “Help your country. $50k signing bonus.” Depraved and predatory
Reposted by Monique Botha
Yet another inside-out autism research headline! This time it's
"Increased prevalence of autism in the children of fibromyalgia patients," when fibromyalgia is a common co-occurring condition for autistic people, so those autistic kids' parents are likely autistic too.
DO BETTER AUTISM RESEARCHERS!
"Increased prevalence of autism in the children of fibromyalgia patients," when fibromyalgia is a common co-occurring condition for autistic people, so those autistic kids' parents are likely autistic too.
DO BETTER AUTISM RESEARCHERS!
October 24, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Yet another inside-out autism research headline! This time it's
"Increased prevalence of autism in the children of fibromyalgia patients," when fibromyalgia is a common co-occurring condition for autistic people, so those autistic kids' parents are likely autistic too.
DO BETTER AUTISM RESEARCHERS!
"Increased prevalence of autism in the children of fibromyalgia patients," when fibromyalgia is a common co-occurring condition for autistic people, so those autistic kids' parents are likely autistic too.
DO BETTER AUTISM RESEARCHERS!
I've seen once again, people who are largely uneducated, underinformed, and clearly not up to date on the science absolutely bitching about identify first language, disability pride, and community amongst autistic people and I find it more hilarious then terrifying because they are the equivalent of
a cartoon of homer simpson is holding a newspaper that says old man yells at cloud
Alt: a cartoon of homer simpson is holding a newspaper that says old man yells at cloud
media.tenor.com
October 23, 2025 at 4:47 PM
I've seen once again, people who are largely uneducated, underinformed, and clearly not up to date on the science absolutely bitching about identify first language, disability pride, and community amongst autistic people and I find it more hilarious then terrifying because they are the equivalent of
Reposted by Monique Botha
Want to do a PhD in Psychology at Durham? I'm looking to supervise candidates interested in researching #PMDD and/or #neurodivergence - drop me a message to chat or discuss ideas!
We’re delighted to launch the NINE DTP 26-27 PhD Studentship competition. Please see the NINE website for full details - ninedtp.ac.uk/the-applicat... #NINEDTP #PhD #ESRC
October 14, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Want to do a PhD in Psychology at Durham? I'm looking to supervise candidates interested in researching #PMDD and/or #neurodivergence - drop me a message to chat or discuss ideas!
Reposted by Monique Botha
The Spectator (owned by GBNews owner Paul Marshall - estimated wealth of £800 million) doesn’t like taxing wealth fairly.
I wonder how they got to this editorial decision?
Let’s tax wealth fairly, fund front line services & make hope normal again.
join.greenparty.org.uk
I wonder how they got to this editorial decision?
Let’s tax wealth fairly, fund front line services & make hope normal again.
join.greenparty.org.uk
October 14, 2025 at 10:56 AM
The Spectator (owned by GBNews owner Paul Marshall - estimated wealth of £800 million) doesn’t like taxing wealth fairly.
I wonder how they got to this editorial decision?
Let’s tax wealth fairly, fund front line services & make hope normal again.
join.greenparty.org.uk
I wonder how they got to this editorial decision?
Let’s tax wealth fairly, fund front line services & make hope normal again.
join.greenparty.org.uk
Every single day, labour float a new, shitty policy that primarily punishes poorer areas. That's fun 🫠 this is basically just a new and exciting way to defund universities, and slaughter ones already struggling after a decade of underfunding.
October 11, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Every single day, labour float a new, shitty policy that primarily punishes poorer areas. That's fun 🫠 this is basically just a new and exciting way to defund universities, and slaughter ones already struggling after a decade of underfunding.
Reposted by Monique Botha
Why people don't trust mainstream politics is a mystery...
October 11, 2025 at 6:54 AM
Why people don't trust mainstream politics is a mystery...
Reposted by Monique Botha
Absolutely incredible that Labour have been working to make Access to Work *even harder* to access, while pretending that the cuts they wanted to make to PIP were supposed to somehow help people access work.
Labour blasted over disability payment 'cuts by stealth' www.thenational.scot/news/2552216...
Labour blasted over disability payment 'cuts by stealth'
LABOUR have been blasted for imposing “cuts by stealth” on a benefit to help disabled people get back into work.
www.thenational.scot
October 6, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Absolutely incredible that Labour have been working to make Access to Work *even harder* to access, while pretending that the cuts they wanted to make to PIP were supposed to somehow help people access work.
Reposted by Monique Botha
Labour is trying to prove mental health is over-diagnosed so it can cut DWP benefits further www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
Labour is trying to prove mental health is over-diagnosed so it can cut DWP benefits further
Wes Streeting's new review into mental health and neurodivergency will be vice chaired by “the most hated doctor in Britain”, Simon Wessely
www.thecanary.co
October 6, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Labour is trying to prove mental health is over-diagnosed so it can cut DWP benefits further www.thecanary.co/uk/analysis/...
Reposted by Monique Botha
Journalists should never have to fear government retaliation for reporting on government activity, and showing up to work shouldn't result in your family being torn apart.
October 2, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Journalists should never have to fear government retaliation for reporting on government activity, and showing up to work shouldn't result in your family being torn apart.
Reposted by Monique Botha
Mario had the right to work and report in the U.S. at the time he was arrested for livestreaming a protest in June.
He was held for over 100 days in ICE detention, and he did not have the chance to say goodbye to his family in person before being deported.
He was held for over 100 days in ICE detention, and he did not have the chance to say goodbye to his family in person before being deported.
October 2, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Mario had the right to work and report in the U.S. at the time he was arrested for livestreaming a protest in June.
He was held for over 100 days in ICE detention, and he did not have the chance to say goodbye to his family in person before being deported.
He was held for over 100 days in ICE detention, and he did not have the chance to say goodbye to his family in person before being deported.
Reposted by Monique Botha
BREAKING: Our client Mario Guevara, an Emmy-winning journalist detained by ICE in retaliation for livestreaming law enforcement activity, will be deported tomorrow to El Salvador.
Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.
Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.
October 2, 2025 at 10:42 PM
BREAKING: Our client Mario Guevara, an Emmy-winning journalist detained by ICE in retaliation for livestreaming law enforcement activity, will be deported tomorrow to El Salvador.
Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.
Mario and his family are being punished for his reporting. This cruelty is meant to stifle our free press.
Reposted by Monique Botha
Today’s strike had been ruled illegitimate by a judge due to the lack of a 10 days warning. The law concedes the immediate strike in cases of striking violations of the constitution and the govt failing to protect citizens, so the unions have decided to move forward and do it regardless
Lo sciopero di oggi 3 Ottobre dichiarato illegittimo per una tecnicalità. CGIL va avanti e dichiara ricorso
Cgil, domani è sciopero generale, legittima astensione lavoro
La Cgil conferma lo sciopero generale del 3 ottobre, respinge le motivazioni del Garante e ribadisce la piena legittimità dell’astensione dal lavoro secondo la legge 146. Iniziative in tutta Italia a ...
www.cgil.it
October 3, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Today’s strike had been ruled illegitimate by a judge due to the lack of a 10 days warning. The law concedes the immediate strike in cases of striking violations of the constitution and the govt failing to protect citizens, so the unions have decided to move forward and do it regardless
Reposted by Monique Botha
📢 Delighted to see the protocol paper for our realist review has now been published. In this review we are looking at how general practice supports #autistic adults (or not)- when, how, & in what circumstances. This paper describes the steps we're taking (Cont. ⬇️)
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Optimising general practice support for autistic adults: a realist review protocol - Systematic Reviews
Background Mental and physical health conditions are more common in autistic than non-autistic people, including anxiety, depression, suicidality, gastrointestinal problems, cancer, epilepsy, and heart disease. General practice is often the first point of contact for patients, yet research has found that autistic people face barriers to healthcare, report lower satisfaction with healthcare, and have more unmet health needs than non-autistic people. This can be due to misunderstandings about the needs of autistic people, different communication styles, the clinic environment, and challenges making and getting to appointments, compounded by slow dissemination of research findings. Our aim is to find out how, why, and to what extent general practice supports autistic adults with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) throughout their lives, in order to suggest improvements to practice. Methods We will conduct a realist review which is a theory-driven systematic review. Electronic databases will be searched including MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL, Scopus, ASSIA and grey literature sources (e.g. Google Scholar). To be included articles must concern general practice, autistic adults aged 18 and over, contain information relevant to a UK setting, and be written in English. Any study design or article type may be included and articles will be assessed for relevance and rigour. In line with realist synthesis methods we will identify relevant contexts, mechanisms and outcomes and develop a programme theory to explain how, why, and when general practice optimally supports (or not) autistic adults. We will also seek to identify resources that are available for and used by general practice to support autistic adults. We will involve stakeholders in each stage of the review including autistic individuals, family members, and healthcare professionals (including general practice staff). The review will be reported in line with the RAMESES publication standards. Discussion The findings will inform guidance for i) general practice about potentially helpful adaptations to service, and ii) autistic people to help them gain the support they need. This will help to improve access to and engagement with general practice care, and thus potentially improve the health and wellbeing of autistic individuals. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42024545403.
link.springer.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:19 AM
📢 Delighted to see the protocol paper for our realist review has now been published. In this review we are looking at how general practice supports #autistic adults (or not)- when, how, & in what circumstances. This paper describes the steps we're taking (Cont. ⬇️)
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Monique Botha
I will be accepting a PhD student for Fall 2026 in our Curriculum and Instruction program. If you are interested in autistic sociality, caregiver influence on their autistic children's development, and neurodiversity in school contexts, please get in touch!
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Curriculum and Instruction - Lynch School of Education and Human Development - Boston College
The Lynch School's hybrid doctoral program in Curriculum & Instruction is designed to develop professionals who have the knowledge, intellectual disposition, professional skills, ethical sensibilities...
www.bc.edu
September 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I will be accepting a PhD student for Fall 2026 in our Curriculum and Instruction program. If you are interested in autistic sociality, caregiver influence on their autistic children's development, and neurodiversity in school contexts, please get in touch!
Reposted by Monique Botha
So glad the mainstream media gave so much space to the reactionary free speech panic
That's really helped make sure the left is no longer censoring the free flow of ideas...
That's really helped make sure the left is no longer censoring the free flow of ideas...
Alexa, what happens when you put a fracking executive in charge of the Department of Energy?
Energy Dept. adds ‘climate change’ and ‘emissions’ to banned words list
It is the latest in a series of Trump administration efforts to dispute, silence or downplay climate change.
www.politico.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:07 AM
So glad the mainstream media gave so much space to the reactionary free speech panic
That's really helped make sure the left is no longer censoring the free flow of ideas...
That's really helped make sure the left is no longer censoring the free flow of ideas...
Reposted by Monique Botha
Is there a reason I ask that the Times are using a picture of asylum seekers in a boat to describe rules for migrants who came on legal routes such as skilled worker visas for doctors?
Tough new conditions to be imposed on migrants who want to settle in the UK will not apply to more than a million people who arrived in the UK under the post-Brexit immigration surge
Labour’s tough new rules will not apply to migrants already in UK
www.thetimes.com
September 30, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Is there a reason I ask that the Times are using a picture of asylum seekers in a boat to describe rules for migrants who came on legal routes such as skilled worker visas for doctors?
In our study, led by the amazing Taylor Burns, we found that masking of autistic traits may leave autistic people vulnerable to identity distress which in turn effects mental health. This means constantly adapting to neurotypical norms may make it hard for autistic people to hold on to who they are
New research involving @drmbothapsych.bsky.social in our @durhampsych.bsky.social finds that identity distress (where someone has difficulty forming a cohesive sense of identity) is at the heart of higher rates of poor mental health experienced by autistic people. Find out more 👉 bit.ly/3KMtz88
September 29, 2025 at 1:38 PM
In our study, led by the amazing Taylor Burns, we found that masking of autistic traits may leave autistic people vulnerable to identity distress which in turn effects mental health. This means constantly adapting to neurotypical norms may make it hard for autistic people to hold on to who they are
Reposted by Monique Botha
I'm catching up with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social's fascinating, horrifying, excoriating and forensically put together talk now.
A lot of autism research really is appalling - although, crucially, there is far more humanising and constructive autism research happening now than ever before.
A lot of autism research really is appalling - although, crucially, there is far more humanising and constructive autism research happening now than ever before.
As an autistic researcher, who was about to study for a post doc on the accessibility of research for autistic people, but who got removed from academia for being autistic, hearing @drmbothapsych.bsky.social speak is particularly personal. In the back of my head I know I should still do the work.
September 29, 2025 at 7:38 AM
I'm catching up with @drmbothapsych.bsky.social's fascinating, horrifying, excoriating and forensically put together talk now.
A lot of autism research really is appalling - although, crucially, there is far more humanising and constructive autism research happening now than ever before.
A lot of autism research really is appalling - although, crucially, there is far more humanising and constructive autism research happening now than ever before.
I'd love to know the tipping point of age and or experience where attitudes predict intentions. I also wonder whether authority scaffolding from adults (hostility, frustration, correcting) is a thing which builds up over time to change behaviour intentions to what we see in adulthood.
In school-aged children (N=37, age 5-12 years), "more negative first impressions of autistic compared to non-autistic children"? link.springer.com/article/10.1... "Children in this study rated the autistic children they viewed in brief video clips as more strange, mean, and less likeable..."?
First Impressions Matter: Exploring Children’s Negative Perceptions of Autistic Children - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Purpose Many autistic individuals experience social challenges that may stem from negative perceptions held by their non-autistic peers. This study aimed to examine school-aged children’s first impressions of autistic and non-autistic children based on viewing brief videos. The central research question was whether autistic children are perceived differently in terms of social traits and how these perceptions affect willingness to engage with them. Methods Thirty-seven children aged 5–12 years old viewed brief (10 s) videos of both autistic and non-autistic children discussing their interests. Participants then rated each child on social traits (i.e., strange, confident, honest, mean, likeable, smart) and indicated their behavioral intentions (i.e., willingness to live near, sit near, hang out with and talk to) towards the children in the videos. Results Autistic videos were rated as appearing more awkward, more aggressive, and less likeable compared to non-autistic videos. However, participants reported a similar willingness to interact with both groups. Importantly, these negative perceptions were not associated with the rater child’s age, IQ, sex, autistic traits, or social competence. Conclusion The findings suggest that school-aged children hold biased perceptions of autistic children, independent of their own personal characteristics. This underscores the need for early educational interventions in schools to address stereotypes about and biases against autism. Teaching children about autism could reduce stigma, foster inclusion, and improve social interactions between autistic and non-autistic peers.
link.springer.com
September 28, 2025 at 9:23 AM
I'd love to know the tipping point of age and or experience where attitudes predict intentions. I also wonder whether authority scaffolding from adults (hostility, frustration, correcting) is a thing which builds up over time to change behaviour intentions to what we see in adulthood.
Reposted by Monique Botha
Why did these women not simply apply for asylum in the UK using the HM Government Online Portal? BECAUSE NO SUCH THING EXISTS. Because you have to be *physically* in the UK to apply for asylum and you can't get here on a plane or ferry.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Two women die trying to cross Channel from France
French authorities say about 100 people were attempting to reach the UK on a makeshift boat
www.theguardian.com
September 27, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Why did these women not simply apply for asylum in the UK using the HM Government Online Portal? BECAUSE NO SUCH THING EXISTS. Because you have to be *physically* in the UK to apply for asylum and you can't get here on a plane or ferry.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...