Learning from Neurodiversity and 'Immaturity' with Dr. Christian Beste

Dr. Christian Beste started his research career out of a deep sense of dissatisfaction with how psychological and neuroscientific findings are used in the clinic to contribute to the diagnosis and clinical care of patients. It is not only the problem that the last 20 to 30 years of scientific knowledge gain have not yet entered clinical neuropsychological practice. It is also that a deficit-oriented view is still prevalent in neurology and psychiatry. This view is also dominating societal perceptions of these mental health conditions and "immaturity," and research is hence mostly driven by a super-ordinate impetus of scientists to "learn about" these conditions characterized by deficiencies. "Learning about" is necessary, but insufficient to understand these conditions. "Learning from" these conditions is complementary and advocates neurodiversity, which overcomes the deficit-oriented perspective on mental disorder and immaturity. It emerges from Dr. Christian Beste's concept of psychological neuroscience and provides an opportunity to think into unconventional directions one may not dare to think of: Are there hidden potentials in disorders? There are many lines of evidence that this is the case, necessitating a shift in societal views through knowledge transfer in terms of neurodiversity, but also raising science political aspects. These, on the one hand, drive Dr. Christian Beste's research agenda, and have strong political implications.