Creative industries and neurodivergence: is there a link?

Here at Create Health, our creative team is 11 strong. And we’re all fairly different from one another, both in skillsets and in personality. Ironically, what best unites us is that we are all unique.

Our department is home to a range of niche interests, from choir singing to nun-chucks, belly dancing to 1920s clothing. Some of us can’t arrive by 9am without a struggle, while you could set your watch by others – some of whom tend to eat the same lunch at the same time. Some of us can’t sit still and others forget to drink all day as they focus so intently.

If you set any of us off about a topic we’re interested in; the room will be a cacophony of impassionate chatter, until the Client Leadership team on the other side of the room are rolling their eyes.

Years back, you might have called some of us ‘eccentric’. But now that we’re far more aware of cognitive differences, some of our team are exploring whether we might be neurodivergent.

It set me thinking: is this a creative thing?

I think it might well be.

But why?

Research shows that neurodivergent people are more creative

There are many ways to answer the question ‘what is creativity?’ but I like California State University’s definition, which is: ‘the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities’.¹

Therefore, in order to be creative, ‘you need to be able to view things in new ways or from a different perspective’.¹

Of course, the very definition of neurodivergent is experiencing and navigating the world through a brain that functions in ways that ‘diverge’ from what is clinically defined normal.

So it makes a lot of sense that a neurodivergent brain would naturally think creatively – it is already ‘outside of the box’ and living in a world that was not structured for them.

And it’s not just a theory. Science backs it up.

Researchers have found that creativity comes in many forms across the different kinds of neurodivergence.² Fine attention to detail makes for a wonderful graphic designer, whereas the ability for the mind to bounce around quickly is great for a conceptual writer on a tight pitch deadline.

People with ADHD score highly on autonomy, creativity, a need for achievement, and willingness to take risks. They also show strong abilities for generating ideas.³

Dyslexia – something several people in our team have – also correlates with aptitude for generating original ideas. Fascinatingly, people with dyslexia tend to be spatially gifted and can envision objects in 3-D more easily than others.^4,5

One of the greats in advertising – Carl Ally – said that key to being a true creative is an insatiable curiosity to learn about all kinds of things, whether ancient history or kombucha making. Because ultimately, creative problem solving happens when connections are made between disparate areas. This draws clear parallels with autism; one of the common features is having ‘special interests’, diving deep into sometimes-niche areas with genuine passion, to learn all there is to know.

Does more need to be done to support neurodivergence in totality?

It’s all very well to enjoy the benefits of neurodivergence for creative teams.

But it would be wrong to depict neurodivergence as a superpower. Modern life is built for neurotypical people, and thus life for neurodivergent people is made harder.

Unemployment among neurodivergent people is higher than the general population at 30%-40%.⁶ It affects autistic people most strongly – fewer than 3 in 10 are in employment.⁷

So perhaps the most important question is: is your company organised to make adjustments for neurodivergence and the aspects that don’t fit with your ways of working?

Do you accept that colleagues with ADHD may have challenges with time management? Do you ensure sufficient support around deadlines? Do you keep meetings short to aid information retention?

Do you accept that autistic colleagues might not always communicate in a way that you consider professional? If they’re overstimulated and need more WFH days to avoid burn out, do you accommodate this?

If you do this, I truly believe that – aside from fostering a people-first culture that will draw all kinds of employees to you ­– you create a really successful and creative business where people are more likely to stay.

One that brings literal and lateral thinking together and gives you a far more rounded approach to problem-solving and creativity.

Sources

1. https://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/creativity/define.htm#:~:text=Creativity%20is%20defined%20as%20the,(page%20396)
2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/eating-disorders-among-gender-expansive-and-neurodivergent-individuals/202212/research-shows#:~:text=Their%20brain%27s%20divergence%20from%20the,different%20ways%20across%20neurodivergent%20populations
3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1042258719890986
4. Cockcroft, Kate, and Melanie Hartgill. “Focusing on the abilities in learning disabilities: dyslexia and creativity.”Sabinet, vol. 8, no. 1, 1 July 2004, https://doi.org/10520/EJC31680.
5. Marissa L. Diener, Cheryl A. Wright, Katherine N. Smith & Scott D. Wright (2014) Assessing Visual-Spatial Creativity in Youth on the Autism Spectrum, Creativity Research Journal, 26:3, 328-337, DOI:1080/10400419.2014.929421
6. https://mydisabilityjobs.com/statistics/neurodiversity-in-the-workplace/#neurodiversity-in-the-workplace
7. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-review-to-boost-employment-prospects-of-autistic-people