Summary of articles in the special issue – an inclusive and sustainable career ecosystem for neurodivergent individuals
| Author(s) | Type of article | Study location | Approach and key insights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abeysekara, Hayward, and Spoor | Literature review | n/a | A scoping review of 46 studies examining how autistic employees define and experience career development, using a misfit lens to identify employee job fit, organisational fit and psychological safety as key factors influencing sustainable career progression |
| Felix and Hennekam | Research article | Brazil | A three-year longitudinal ethnography of two autistic individuals living in Brazilian favelas, examining how intersecting societal, organisational and individual barriers render their career ecosystem structurally unsustainable, and highlighting the need for inclusive, context-sensitive approaches to career sustainability |
| Grabarski, Jameson, and Mouratidou | Research article | USA | Semi-structured interviews with 31 adults diagnosed with ADHD, exploring how ADHD influences career sustainability through the lens of sustainable career ecosystem theory, and identifying key personal, contextual and systemic factors that shape career experiences. Crucially, key actors at the local ecosystem level (e.g. family members, teachers, neighbours, friends, co-workers and therapists) play an important role in individual careers within the ecosystem, particularly regarding diagnosis and support |
| Kersten, Scholz, Van Woerkom, Smeets, and Krabbenborg | Research article | The Netherlands | A multi-method qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 31 participants (HR professionals, line managers and neurodivergent employees), follow-up focus groups with 12 participants, and a qualitative survey. The study explores strengths-based practices for supporting neurodivergent employees and identifies key actors and practices at both local and societal levels of the sustainable career ecosystem |
| Kugler | Research article | Germany | Episodic biographical interviews with 14 employed individuals diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, reflecting on their career paths in terms of success and career crafting. The study also identifies deficits in the German healthcare system, and informs a call for further research on additional life events and factors shaping sustainable careers in individuals with ADHD and other neurodivergent populations |
| Lennox | Practitioner insight | UK (Northern Ireland) | An autoethnographic reflection by a late-diagnosed autistic career practitioner, examining identity reconstruction and workplace adjustment. Practical strategies to enable autistic workers to flourish include awareness-raising and education in workplace environments, individualised accommodations and neuroinclusive workplace policies and practices |
| Sattler | Practitioner insight | Australia | Combines autoethnographic reflection and a case study to introduce the Cluster Approach to the Development of Identity (CADI), demonstrating how neurodiversity-affirming career development can support neurodivergent clients in constructing sustainable and adaptable career narratives |
| Szulc and Staniszewska | Research article | Poland | Semi-structured interviews with 20 neurodivergent professionals exploring career sustainability through a strengths-based lens, highlighting how unclear pathways and misfit, invisible barriers such as masking and stigma, as well as inclusive environments that enable safe disclosure and peer support, shape non-linear career trajectories and the potential for thriving when neurodivergent strengths are supported |
| Vodden and Arman | Research article | Australia and UK | Semi-structured interviews with 10 adults diagnosed with ADHD, exploring how work contexts, leadership and stigma shape career sustainability. Findings highlight masking, disclosure dilemmas and the need for inclusive practices that support autonomy, strengths and psychological wellbeing |
| Author(s) | Type of article | Study location | Approach and key insights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abeysekara, Hayward, and Spoor | Literature review | n/a | A scoping review of 46 studies examining how autistic employees define and experience career development, using a misfit lens to identify employee job fit, organisational fit and psychological safety as key factors influencing sustainable career progression |
| Felix and Hennekam | Research article | Brazil | A three-year longitudinal ethnography of two autistic individuals living in Brazilian favelas, examining how intersecting societal, organisational and individual barriers render their career ecosystem structurally unsustainable, and highlighting the need for inclusive, context-sensitive approaches to career sustainability |
| Grabarski, Jameson, and Mouratidou | Research article | USA | Semi-structured interviews with 31 adults diagnosed with ADHD, exploring how ADHD influences career sustainability through the lens of sustainable career ecosystem theory, and identifying key personal, contextual and systemic factors that shape career experiences. Crucially, key actors at the local ecosystem level (e.g. family members, teachers, neighbours, friends, co-workers and therapists) play an important role in individual careers within the ecosystem, particularly regarding diagnosis and support |
| Kersten, Scholz, Van Woerkom, Smeets, and Krabbenborg | Research article | The Netherlands | A multi-method qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 31 participants (HR professionals, line managers and neurodivergent employees), follow-up focus groups with 12 participants, and a qualitative survey. The study explores strengths-based practices for supporting neurodivergent employees and identifies key actors and practices at both local and societal levels of the sustainable career ecosystem |
| Kugler | Research article | Germany | Episodic biographical interviews with 14 employed individuals diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood, reflecting on their career paths in terms of success and career crafting. The study also identifies deficits in the German healthcare system, and informs a call for further research on additional life events and factors shaping sustainable careers in individuals with ADHD and other neurodivergent populations |
| Lennox | Practitioner insight | UK (Northern Ireland) | An autoethnographic reflection by a late-diagnosed autistic career practitioner, examining identity reconstruction and workplace adjustment. Practical strategies to enable autistic workers to flourish include awareness-raising and education in workplace environments, individualised accommodations and neuroinclusive workplace policies and practices |
| Sattler | Practitioner insight | Australia | Combines autoethnographic reflection and a case study to introduce the Cluster Approach to the Development of Identity (CADI), demonstrating how neurodiversity-affirming career development can support neurodivergent clients in constructing sustainable and adaptable career narratives |
| Szulc and Staniszewska | Research article | Poland | Semi-structured interviews with 20 neurodivergent professionals exploring career sustainability through a strengths-based lens, highlighting how unclear pathways and misfit, invisible barriers such as masking and stigma, as well as inclusive environments that enable safe disclosure and peer support, shape non-linear career trajectories and the potential for thriving when neurodivergent strengths are supported |
| Vodden and Arman | Research article | Australia and UK | Semi-structured interviews with 10 adults diagnosed with ADHD, exploring how work contexts, leadership and stigma shape career sustainability. Findings highlight masking, disclosure dilemmas and the need for inclusive practices that support autonomy, strengths and psychological wellbeing |