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A Socio-Technical Grounded Theory on the Effect of Cognitive Dysfunctions in the Performance of Software Developers with ADHD and Autism

Kiev Gama, Grischa Liebel, Miguel Goulão, Aline Lacerda, Cristiana Lacerda

TL;DR

This interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Grounded Theory study explores the experiences of neurodivergent software engineers with ASD and ADHD, examining the cognitive and emotional challenges they face in software teams, and outlines a list of inclusive Agile practices allowing organizations to better support neurodivergent employees and fully leverage their capabilities.

Abstract

The concept of neurodiversity, encompassing conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia, challenges traditional views of these neurodevelopmental variations as disorders and instead frames them as natural cognitive differences that contribute to unique ways of thinking and problem-solving. Within the software development industry, known for its emphasis on innovation, there is growing recognition of the value neurodivergent individuals bring to technical teams. Despite this, research on the contributions of neurodivergent individuals in Software Engineering (SE) remains limited. This interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Grounded Theory study addresses this gap by exploring the experiences of neurodivergent software engineers with ASD and ADHD, examining the cognitive and emotional challenges they face in software teams. Based on interviews and a survey with 25 neurodivergent and 5 neurotypical individuals, our theory describes how neurodivergent cognitive dysfunctions affect SE performance, and how the individuals' individual journey and various accommodations can regulate this effect. We conclude our paper with a list of inclusive Agile practices, allowing organizations to better support neurodivergent employees and fully leverage their capabilities.

A Socio-Technical Grounded Theory on the Effect of Cognitive Dysfunctions in the Performance of Software Developers with ADHD and Autism

TL;DR

This interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Grounded Theory study explores the experiences of neurodivergent software engineers with ASD and ADHD, examining the cognitive and emotional challenges they face in software teams, and outlines a list of inclusive Agile practices allowing organizations to better support neurodivergent employees and fully leverage their capabilities.

Abstract

The concept of neurodiversity, encompassing conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and dyspraxia, challenges traditional views of these neurodevelopmental variations as disorders and instead frames them as natural cognitive differences that contribute to unique ways of thinking and problem-solving. Within the software development industry, known for its emphasis on innovation, there is growing recognition of the value neurodivergent individuals bring to technical teams. Despite this, research on the contributions of neurodivergent individuals in Software Engineering (SE) remains limited. This interdisciplinary Socio-Technical Grounded Theory study addresses this gap by exploring the experiences of neurodivergent software engineers with ASD and ADHD, examining the cognitive and emotional challenges they face in software teams. Based on interviews and a survey with 25 neurodivergent and 5 neurotypical individuals, our theory describes how neurodivergent cognitive dysfunctions affect SE performance, and how the individuals' individual journey and various accommodations can regulate this effect. We conclude our paper with a list of inclusive Agile practices, allowing organizations to better support neurodivergent employees and fully leverage their capabilities.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 51 sections, 3 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Background and related work
  3. ASD and ADHD comorbidity
  4. Research on Neurodiversity in Software Engineering
  5. Method
  6. STGT Basic Stage
  7. STGT Advanced Stage
  8. Data Collection and Analysis
  9. Ethics
  10. Theory
  11. Cognitive and Emotional Dysfunctions
  12. Organization and planning
  13. Task initiation challenges
  14. Perfectionism and overengineering
  15. Irregular work performance
  16. ...and 36 more sections

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: Socio-technical grounded theory method applied using basic and advanced stages. The main steps are the rectangles with the respective outputs below.
  • Figure 2: Theory on the Effect of Neurodivergent Cognitive Dysfunctions in Software Engineering Performance
  • Figure 3: Average of participants answers to the instrument used after the pilot to ask about EFs, regulation and delay aversion inventory. ASD (n=7), ASD+ADHD (n=5), ADHD (n=9) and Neurotypical (n=5)