Self‑esteem in neurodivergent people is strongly shaped by lifelong feedback, masking, misunderstanding, rejection and how safe it feels to be yourself. Many ND adults carry a sense of “too much” or “not enough” even when they are capable and caring.
This Neurodivergent Self‑Esteem Learning Hub gathers articles, research, reflection tools and practical strategies to rebuild a more stable sense of worth.
Neurodivergent Self-Esteem Organizations
🌱 Autistic Self Advocacy Network – Identity & Self-Advocacy
Resources written by autistic adults focusing on identity, internalised stigma, self-advocacy skills, and building a stronger sense of self.
🧠 CHADD – ADHD Emotional Health
Articles on self-esteem challenges in ADHD, rejection sensitivity, emotional regulation, and strengths-based approaches to rebuilding confidence.
📘 ADHD Evidence Project – Emotional & Social Impacts
Research summaries on how ADHD traits interact with self-perception, social feedback, and long-term self-esteem development.
🌍 Autism Research Institute – Mental Health & Identity
Webinars and evidence-based articles on autistic identity, masking, burnout, and their effects on confidence and sense of competence.
🔬 Spectrum News – Autism, Anxiety & Self-Understanding
Science journalism covering self-concept formation, long-term impact of masking, and mental health in autistic adults.
📗 National Autistic Society – Self-Image & Wellbeing
Guidance for supporting self-understanding, coping with internalised stress, and navigating social environments with greater self-trust.
🏥 Mayo Clinic – Emotional Wellbeing
Reliable clinical explanations on emotional health, cognitive patterns, negative self-beliefs, and tools supporting recovery.
💼 NICE Guidelines – Mental Health & Social Wellbeing
Clinical guidance on psychological wellbeing that applies to neurodivergent adults navigating self-esteem, mood, and identity challenges.
📘 Psychology Today – Neurodiversity & Self-Esteem
Public-facing articles exploring rejection sensitivity, internal narratives, identity building, and self-esteem in autistic and ADHD adults.
🌏 Stanford Neurodiversity Project – Identity & Strengths
Research and workplace programs focusing on strengths, identity, and growth pathways for neurodivergent adults.
📚 Neurodivergent Self‑Esteem Research Library
Scientific studies on self‑esteem, self‑concept and internalised stigma in autistic, ADHD and AuDHD populations
🧠 Self‑Esteem in Autistic Youth and Adults
van der Cruijsen, R., Wolters, F., et al. (2020/2021).
Explicit and implicit self-esteem in youth with autism spectrum disorder
Shows that autistic youth report lower explicit self‑esteem than non‑autistic peers, and that lower self‑esteem is tied to internalising symptoms such as depression.
Nguyen, W., Ownsworth, T., Nicol, C., & Zimmerman, D. (2020).
How I See and Feel About Myself: Domain-Specific Self-Concept and Self-Esteem in Autistic Adults
Autistic adults report lower global self‑esteem and sense of power than non‑autistic adults; more positive self‑appraisals about autism and better social support predict higher self‑esteem.
Ikehara, M., et al. (2025).
Influence of self‐esteem on health‐related quality of life in children with autism
Finds that higher self‑esteem and fewer depressive symptoms are strongly associated with better health‑related quality of life in autistic children.
Ridzuan, A. M., & Zainal, M. S. (2024).
Unraveling the Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Self-Esteem: Insights From a Systematic Literature Review
Systematic review showing that higher autistic traits are often linked to lower self‑esteem, especially when social difficulties and stigma are high, but that identity and support can buffer this.
🎯 Self‑Esteem in ADHD
Mazzone, L., Postorino, V., Reale, L., et al. (2013).
Self-esteem evaluation in children and adolescents suffering from ADHD
ADHD groups show significantly more self‑esteem scores in the pathological range than controls, with low self‑esteem linked to symptom severity and functional difficulties.
Betancourt, J. L., Alderson, R. M., Roberts, D. K., & Bullard, C. C. (2024).
Self-esteem in children and adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analytic review
Meta‑analysis showing moderate impairments in global, academic and social self‑esteem in ADHD youth, but not in all domains, suggesting self‑view is uneven rather than globally negative.
Russell, A. E., et al. (2025).
Developmental relations between ADHD and self-esteem: evaluating peer problems as a mediating mechanism
Longitudinal UK cohort study finding reciprocal links between ADHD symptoms, peer problems and lower self‑esteem across adolescence.
assoodi, A., et al. (2024).
Comparison of self-esteem and quality of life in 8–12-year-old children with ADHD and learning disabilities
Children with ADHD plus learning disabilities report significantly lower self‑esteem and quality of life than those with ADHD alone.
🌈 Autistic Identity, Social Identity & Self‑Esteem
Davies, J., et al. (2024).
Autistic identity: A systematic review of quantitative research
Shows that a more positive autistic social identity is associated with higher collective self‑esteem and better wellbeing, while negative identity predicts poorer mental health.
Corden, K., Brewer, R., et al. (2021).
Personal Identity After an Autism Diagnosis: Relationships with self-esteem and mental well-being
Finding a positive autistic identity and sense of belonging is linked to higher self‑esteem and mental wellbeing in autistic adults.
Camus, L., et al. (2023).
Social self-efficacy and mental well-being in autistic adults
Shows that social self‑efficacy and autism‑related social identity both contribute to mental wellbeing, closely tied to self‑worth and confidence.
⚡ Internalised Stigma, Self‑Esteem and Mental Health
Bachmann, C. J., et al. (2019).
Internalised stigma in adults with autism: A German multi-centre study
Documents substantial internalised stigma among autistic adults and links higher stigma to more psychological distress.
Turnock, A., et al. (2022).
Understanding Stigma in Autism: A Narrative Review and Theoretical Framework
Narrative review describing how external stigma becomes self‑stigma, contributing to low self‑esteem, shame and mental health difficulties in autistic people.
Pyszkowska, A., Nowacki, A., & Celban, J. (2025).
The Daydream Spectrum: The Role of Emotional Dysregulation, Internalized Stigma and Self-Esteem in Maladaptive Daydreaming Among Adults With ADHD, ASD, and Double Diagnosis
In autistic, ADHD and AuDHD adults, self‑esteem and internalised stigma are significant correlates of maladaptive daydreaming, showing how self‑perception connects to coping strategies.
Marion, A., Bowman, K., Thomas, G., & Harrison, A. J. (2023).
A mixed method examination: how stigma experienced by autistic adults relates to metrics of social identity and social functioning
Shows that more stigma is associated with lower self‑esteem, lower self‑efficacy and lower social satisfaction in autistic young adults.
Zhang, X., et al. (2025).
The impact of validation seeking on self-image and internalized stigma in the r/ADHD community
Study of self‑ and clinically diagnosed ADHD users on Reddit: social validation can both strengthen positive self‑concept and reinforce internalised stigma at the same time.
Neurodivergent experience hubs:
🌀 Neurodivergent Anxiety
🔥 Neurodivergent Burnout
🌧️ Neurodivergent Depression
🌱 Neurodivergent Self-Care