Monotropism: A Powerful Framework for Understanding Autistic Attention
Last month I attended the National Autistic Society Annual Professionals' Conference, and one session in particular has remained on my mind: Tanya Adkin and Helen Edgar of Autistic Realms presented on the topic of "Neuro-Affirming Research in Practice: Monotropism in the Classroom and Beyond”.
As a coach working with autistic tech professionals, I find monotropism theory to be a transformative framework that elegantly explains what many of my clients experience but struggle to articulate. We’ve all had those moments at work when the distractions fade, and we’re fully immersed in the task at hand. That deep focus isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s where we do our best thinking and solve the hardest problems.
For the start of Autism Awareness Month, I think this is a brilliant topic for my autistic clients to be keeping in mind.
A neuro-affirming perspective on attention
Monotropism is a theory suggesting that autistic individuals tend to focus their attention on a smaller number of interests at any given time. Developed in the late 1990s by Dinah Murray, Mike Lesser, and Wenn Lawson, this neuro-affirming thesis looks to explain how autistic individuals process the world differently due to their deep, focused attention on fewer areas of interest at any one time.
“Monotropism is a tendency to focus attention on a small number of interests at any time, while polytropic attention tends to be distributed more widely.”
Reframing autistic attention
The traditional view on autistic attention is that intense engagement leads to “obsessions” with certain interests, and a difficulty for autistic people to shift attention elsewhere. But this perspective fails to take into account the benefit of deep focus.
“Monotropism suggests that the strategies employed by autistic people emerge as rational responses to processing information in a particular way, not as deficits.”
Adkin and Edgar’s core insight is that everyone has finite attention resources, but neurodivergent individuals (particularly those who are autistic) tend to be more monotropic - focusing attention intensely on fewer channels of interest at any time.
What struck me most was the shift from deficit-based to strength-based understanding:
Instead of "obsessions", they described this as “passions”
Instead of "stuck on one activity", the discussed being in “a flow state”
Instead of "disengaged", they described trying to juggle limited attention resources
Instead of "repetitive behaviours", the affirmed the stimming behaviours to help regulate
Not only does this evolve the conversation along from the stereotypes we’ve heard for many years around autistic behaviours, it opens up a new way of considering the neurodivergent experience of the workplace.
“What is sometimes called ‘context blindness’ in autism could be better understood as the result of having most available attention allocated to a single interest system, leaving little attention available for processing contextual information.”
Harnessing monotropic focus and creating attention-friendly environments
Most workplaces aren’t built with monotropism in mind. Constant pings, back-to-back meetings, the expectation of instant replies—these aren’t just distractions. They pull us away from the way our brains naturally work, forcing us into environments designed for collaboration, not concentration.
When we reframe our understanding through monotropism, we can design environments that work with rather than against autistic attention patterns. By creating space for monotropism—intense, sustained focus—you’re not just improving productivity. You’re giving your mind what it needs to thrive. For tech professionals, this might mean:
Protecting focused work time from interruptions
Creating smoother transitions between tasks
Recognising that intense focus isn't "ignoring colleagues" but a valuable state of deep work
This isn’t about working harder or chasing productivity hacks. It’s about honoring your mind’s natural rhythm—in a world that mistakes busyness for impact, creating space for deep work might be the most powerful professional choice you can make.
While Adkin and Edgar’s research is focused in the classroom, there is plenty of crossover into behaviours and attitudes in the workplace. They emphasised moving away from the medical model that aims to "fix the person" toward a neurodiversity paradigm that recognises there's no "normal" way of being, and that environments must adapt to diverse neurological needs. For practical tips on creating an attention-friendly workplace environment, refer to our blog: Embracing Neurodiversity: Insights for Managers of Autistic Colleagues.
What strategies have you found helpful in creating attention-friendly workplaces that honor neurodivergent focus patterns?
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