Neurodiversity After an Acquired Brain Injury: How Neuropsychological Insight Helps
Neurodiversity After an Acquired Brain Injury: How Neuropsychological Insight Helps
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can alter how a person thinks, processes information, and experiences the world. For some individuals, recovery unfolds on top of pre-existing neurodivergent traits such as differences in attention, sensory processing, executive functioning, or social cognition. For others, the brain injury itself may introduce neurodivergent-like patterns of thinking and behaviour. Understanding neurodiversity within the context of ABI is essential for effective neurorehabilitation, and neuropsychological insight plays a central role in shaping support that is both accurate and affirming.
The Role of Neuropsychological Assessment
Neuropsychological assessment is essential in distinguishing between pre-existing neurodivergent traits, injury-related cognitive changes, and emotional responses to injury. Through detailed evaluation of attention, executive functioning, processing speed, memory, and emotional regulation, neuropsychologists build a comprehensive understanding of how the brain is functioning post-injury. This insight allows clinicians to identify individual strengths as well as areas of vulnerability, ensuring that rehabilitation plans are grounded in the person’s actual cognitive profile rather than assumptions or standardised expectations.
Adapting Neurorehabilitation to Neurodivergent Profiles
Neuropsychological insight informs how neurorehabilitation is adapted for neurodivergent individuals after ABI. Therapy pacing, communication style, sensory environments, and task demands can all be adjusted to reduce overload and support engagement. Rather than forcing conformity to rigid rehabilitation models, neuropsychology-led approaches recognise that progress may look different across individuals. Supporting neurodivergent cognitive styles can improve participation, reduce distress, and promote sustainable recovery that aligns with the individual’s way of thinking and processing.
Supporting Identity and Emotional Adjustment
After ABI, individuals often experience shifts in identity, particularly when cognitive or behavioural changes affect how they relate to others. For neurodivergent individuals, this adjustment may involve renegotiating long-standing coping strategies or masking behaviours that are no longer sustainable. Neuropsychological insight helps normalise these experiences, reducing self-blame and promoting self-understanding. Therapeutic support focuses not on “correcting” difference, but on helping individuals navigate change while preserving dignity, autonomy, and self-worth.
A Person-Centred Approach to Recovery
At The London Neurocognitive Clinic, we recognise that recovery after Acquired Brain Injury is shaped by the unique way each brain functions. Neuropsychological insight allows us to honour neurodiversity while addressing the challenges that arise after injury. By integrating assessment, rehabilitation, and compassionate understanding, we support individuals in building lives that reflect not only recovery, but authenticity, resilience, and meaningful participation.
