Neurodiversity and Technostress: Towards a Multimodal Research Design for Evaluating Subjective, Physiological, and Behavioral Responses

A new arXiv preprint from researchers van den Heuvel, Ivkić, and Riedl tackles a blind spot in technostress (TS) research: the near-exclusive focus on neurotypical populations. Their proposed experimental design systematically compares neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals under standardized digital stress conditions. Using a multimodal measurement approach, the study captures subjective perceptions (surveys), physiological activation (e.g., heart rate, skin conductance), and observable interaction behavior (e.g., task speed, errors). This tripartite framework aims to reveal how different cognitive profiles experience and respond to technology-induced strain.

The researchers argue that current TS research often relies on single-dimension measures (e.g., self-reports), missing the full picture. Their design includes both structured tasks (e.g., timed data entry) and unstructured ones (e.g., open-ended problem-solving) to mimic real-world digital work. By explicitly integrating neurodiversity, the paper provides a methodological blueprint for more inclusive workplace technologies. The ultimate goal: help organizations design digital tools that reduce stress for all workers, not just the neurotypical majority. The study is published on arXiv under the Human-Computer Interaction subject area.