ISU Graduate Students Establish Neurodivergent Social Support Group for Adults in Pocatello

Graduate students Joules Emerson and Julia Duran from Idaho State University created a Neurodivergent Social Support Group to foster connections and friendships among neurodivergent adults in Pocatello, providing a safe and inclusive space for activities and support.

The group has successfully facilitated social interactions, offering a judgment-free environment that addresses the unique needs of neurodivergent individuals and aims to reduce loneliness and isolation.

Beginnings

At the first meeting of the Neurodivergent Social Support Group, planned and hosted by Joules Emerson and Julia Duran, graduate students in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at Idaho State University (ISU), they watched as two individuals met and immediately formed a connection. 

“Right away at our first meeting these two individuals quickly connected over shared interests,” Julia says. “It was amazing to see. The whole idea of the group was for people to create friendships and bond and it was awesome to see that happen right in front of us.”

Neurodivergence refers to the differences in how brains work. Neurodiversity is akin to the idea that there’s diversity among brains, just like there is diversity with race and gender or sexual identity. 

The Neurodivergent Social Support Group began in October 2023 as an assignment as part of Joules’ and Julias’ Advanced Social Psychology course taught by Dr. Mona Xu. They wanted to do something positive for the community that involved social psychology. The idea came out of their awareness of evidence that shows that community is an important factor for ASD individuals, yet something that is historically difficult for ASD individuals to have access to. 

“I am a self-disclosed neurodivergent individual,” Joules says. “Part of my experience was lack of social support. I remembered the issues of accessibility to friendships when I was younger, and knowing how big of an impact it had on me, I thought this was important to address.”

The importance of a safe space for connection

Julia and Joules share that there can be a lot of stigma for neurodivergent individuals, that there are misunderstandings of what neurodivergent people are capable of, and that how neurodivergent people develop friendships may look different than for non-neurodivergent individuals. 

“We’re creating a space where people can share their interests and feel comfortable relating to others who share some of their life experiences,” says Julia. 

Joules relates that some participants in the group have mentioned that this is the first group they’ve participated in with others of their community because it’s an area they know they won’t face judgment.

“We emphasize no-judgment and strive to be as neuro-confirming as possible,” Joules says. “We focus on acceptance and try to convey that participants are not judged for who they are as a fundamental person like they may have been by others or in certain situations elsewhere or in their past.”

Julia emphasized that the group is not therapy but a safe space for neurodivergent individuals to connect and build friendships, with activities like painting, coloring, movies, and games to facilitate comfort without pressure to speak or participate. Joules highlighted the importance of accessibility, welcoming not just people with autism but anyone with intellectual disabilities, and noted that the group includes both ISU students and community members of various ages, ensuring a safe and inclusive environment.

Joules and Julia say that they try to keep the activities low-energy because it can take a lot of energy for many of the participants to go out. Additionally they host it at a location where participants can feel more secure, where they won’t have the risk of their identities being criticized. The building is free and accessible with elevators and ramps, and free parking. 

Both students are also part of the ISU Cares Lab, which is led by Professor Dr. Robert Rieske. The ISU Cares Lab researchers support Joules and Julia and offer research based ideas. 

The stakes are high. The suicidality risk for neurodivergent individuals is higher than for non-neurodivergent individuals. Research by Hirvikoski et al. (2016) and Nock et al. (2008) found that autistic adults are over seven times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population. Additionally, autistic individuals have significantly higher lifetime prevalence rates of suicidal ideation (34.2% vs. 9.2%), suicide plans (21.9% vs. 3.1%), and suicide attempts (24.3% vs. 2.7%) compared to non-autistic individuals. Neurodivergent folks also face greater levels of loneliness and isolation that social support groups can potentially help alleviate.

This is working

The social connection goals for the group seem to be having an impact. Joules has been impressed with how active Discord chat participants have been in sharing interests and encouraging one another. “One person went out to see the northern lights,” Joules says. “They shared pictures and I was blown away because they were so gorgeous.” Other members have shared their own personal experiences and coping mechanisms on the platform.

In addition to members of the group finding connection both at in-person meetings and via the Discord chat group, Julia and Joules say that they have seen members support each other by sharing personal experiences and resources they’ve found helpful. For example, participants have been able to discuss mental health providers in the area and discuss helpful student resources and services at ISU.

Julia and Joules plan to continue the Neurodivergent Social Group as long as they are students at ISU. With both of them entering their second year of the PhD program in the fall, they have a number of years to continue making an impact.

Additionally, Joules hopes to start a therapy group for teens in Spring 2025, aiming to create research-informed treatments that affirm Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) identities, address loneliness and suicidality, and enhance social connectivity. Julia is focused on researching the neural mechanisms of ASD, early intervention, and diagnosis, with goals to develop new diagnostic tools and treatment progress monitors. She is also working on a suicide screener and addressing food and eating disorders associated with autism.

Contact and Group Information

The Neurodivergent Social Support Group is open to all adults in the Pocatello and ISU community. Please come if you'd like to join other Neurodiverse (ADHD, ASD, etc) for a Neurodiverse Support Group. Sponsored by the ISU Collaboration for Autism Research Education and Support Lab. Email joulesemerson@isu.edu or juliaduran@isu.edu for more information or to join the Discord chat group.

Upcoming Meetings:

Monday, June 3, 2024, 6 – 8 PM

Monday, July 1, 2024, 6 – 8 PM

Monday, August 5, 2024, 6 – 8 PM

Location: Garrison Hall, room 501 on the Idaho State University Pocatello Campus

Address: 1400 East Terry, Pocatello, ID