Partial disclosure

A disclosure strategy in which individuals share some information about their disability or neurodivergence while withholding specific details, often framing their needs in more socially accepted terms. For example, a neurodivergent worker might describe needing a quiet workspace because they "work better in quiet environments" rather than disclosing ADHD, or mention "medical issues" rather than specifying a mental health condition. Partial disclosure allows individuals to access some workplace support while managing stigma risk. It represents a middle ground between full disclosure and complete non-disclosure, and is particularly common in workplaces where trust has not been fully established or where the individual is uncertain about how full disclosure would be received.