Research Evidence
The data proving misclassification directly causes comorbidities in neurodivergent populations
Peer-reviewed studies, clinical evidence, lived experience research
Time lost before correct understanding, during which harm compounds
Neurodivergent people with anxiety/depression (largely iatrogenic)
Elevated PTSD/C-PTSD in ND populations due to chronic invalidation
Legal Tailwinds: Mobley v. Workday
Third-party AI vendors can now be held liable as "agents" of employers under Title VII, ADA, and ADEA when their screening tools automatically reject or advance candidates based on protected traits.
Enterprises now face:
The Causal Link
What the Research Shows
Decades of evidence demonstrate that comorbidities in neurodivergent populations are not "natural" or "inherent" — they are iatrogenic harm caused by misclassification, stigma, and inappropriate interventions.
Misdiagnosis Precedes Comorbidity Development
Studies show anxiety, depression, and PTSD emerge or worsen AFTER diagnostic errors and forced treatments based on wrong labels.
Stigma Compounds Mental Health Outcomes
Chronic invalidation, gaslighting, and pathologization directly cause trauma responses, not the underlying neurodivergence itself.
Accurate Classification Reduces Harm
When people receive correct understanding early and avoid stigmatizing labels, comorbidity rates drop significantly.
Neurodivergent-Led Systems Work Better
Frameworks built BY neurodivergent people show better outcomes, lower harm, and higher user trust than traditional diagnostic models.
Research by Category
Misclassification Harm
Documentation of systematic harm caused by diagnostic errors and mislabeling
Wrong diagnoses delay proper support by average 7+ years
Misclassification directly precedes mental health crises
Iatrogenic harm from forced treatments based on wrong labels
Stigma compounds when people are blamed for "treatment resistance"
Comorbidity Evidence
Research linking stigma/misclassification to secondary mental health conditions
70%+ of autistic adults experience anxiety or depression
PTSD rates 4-6x higher in neurodivergent populations
Suicide risk dramatically elevated after misdiagnosis
Eating disorders, substance use tied to masking/stigma
Dual Diagnosis Research
Studies on overlapping conditions and diagnostic complexity
ADHD/Autism overlap in 50-70% of cases
Trauma often misread as personality disorders
Sensory issues dismissed as anxiety or OCD
Complex presentations require multi-factor classification
Rural & Access Barriers
Geographic and systemic barriers to accurate diagnosis
Rural areas lack specialized diagnostic services
Economic barriers delay or prevent proper assessment
Cultural stigma compounds in isolated communities
Telehealth insufficient without ND-aware frameworks
Why This Matters
For decades, mental health "comorbidities" in neurodivergent populations have been treated as inevitable, inherent, or genetic. This is false.
The research clearly shows these conditions are iatrogenic — caused by the healthcare system itself through:
- • Diagnostic errors that delay or deny appropriate support
- • Stigmatizing labels that internalize shame
- • Forced treatments based on wrong assumptions
- • Chronic invalidation and gaslighting
- • Systems that pathologize difference instead of supporting it
Classification Infrastructure is designed to prevent this harm at the source — by ensuring people are understood correctly from the start, routed to appropriate support, and never forced through systems that cause more damage.
See the System in Action
Learn how Classification Infrastructure prevents this harm