E01¶


Research	R9990 — STAR interview neurodivergent impact
Run	2026-03-20
Claim	C001
Source	SRC04
Evidence	SRC04-E01
Type	Statistical

Survey of 1,000 neurodivergent adults finds widespread hiring discrimination

URL: https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/article/1896055/half-neurodivergent-adults-discriminated-against-applying-job-research-finds

Extract¶

Zurich Insurance UK survey of 1,000 neurodivergent adults (November 2024):

49% experienced discrimination from hiring managers/recruiters
31% rejected after disclosing neurodivergence
28% turned down for subjective reasons (communication style, team fit)
16% had job offers rescinded after disclosure
25% were "ghosted" after disclosure
27% heard hiring managers comment negatively on their abilities
27% were laughed at because of their neurodiversity
47% felt they could or should not disclose neurodiversity
63% believed employers view neurodiversity as a "red flag"

Relevance to Hypotheses¶

Hypothesis	Relationship	Strength
H1	Supports	Demonstrates broad hiring process discrimination against neurodivergent individuals
H2	Supports	Shows the interview/hiring context is hostile; STAR exists within this environment
H3	Contradicts	Scale of discrimination undermines claim that processes are neutral

Context¶

This survey measures overall hiring discrimination, not STAR specifically. It establishes the environment in which STAR interviews occur. The 28% rejected for "subjective reasons" like communication style is relevant because STAR performance depends on verbal communication and narrative fluency — areas where neurodivergent individuals may differ from neurotypical norms.

Notes¶

The survey was commissioned by an insurance company, not an academic institution. Sample selection methodology is not detailed in the reporting. Self-selected respondents may skew toward those with negative experiences.