Chris rock issues
All About Chris Rock's Nonverbal Learning Disorder and Why It Matters
Public attention to Rock’s NVLD diagnosis may help to reduce stigma and pave the way for improving interventions in the future.
Nonverbal learning disorder (NVLD) is a neurodevelopmental disability that affects an individual’s ability to process nonverbal information. Symptoms of NVLD may vary between children and adults.
In 2020, comedian Chris Rock shared that he was diagnosed with NVLD at 55 years old. Fast forward to 2022, and Rock’s NVLD gained attention shortly after he was slapped by actor Will Smith onstage at the 94th Academy Awards.
The public’s focus on Rock’s learning disability sparked an important conversation about NVLD and why representation in the media matters for reducing stigma.
Similar to when Elon Musk shared he has Asperger’s syndrome, a condition that’s considered part of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Rock opening up about NVLD is an example of positive representation for those with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Research from 2020 indicates that NVLD affects an estimated 3% to 4% of children. According to the study, common challenges for folks with NVLD include:
- math and related subjects
- fine motor skills and motor planning
- visual and spatial reasoning
- identifying patterns
- social communication
- executive functioning
Rebecca Mannis, PhD, a learning specialist with Ivy Prep, says that understanding NVLD is key for intervention, especially among students.
“People with nonverbal learning disability can also show up having difficulty with notetaking or annotation, or with higher-order inferencing skills as they approach middle school and upper school,” Mannis says.
“If it’s difficult for them to absorb and sort through information, their answers or information can often be much more reductionist than what they truly can understand and provide.”
NVLD is similar to other neurodevelopmental disorders like ASD and attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and is often conflated or misdiagnosed as one or the other.
Because of the similar qualities shared by these conditions, it can be difficult to determine the difference.
For example, a student’s trouble with scanning material could be reduced to inattentiveness or carelessness, and may subsequently be screened for ADHD.
NVLD vs ADHD
Similarities
Folks with NVLD and ADHD may each have difficulty controlling their impulses, and may also be more prone to excessive talking and interrupting. Other shared difficulties may include:
- inability to focus
- trouble staying organized
- problem-solving
- completing tasks
- navigating social situations and collaborations
Differences
Compared to ADHD, children with NVLD are more likely to have complications with nonverbal skills like math and even fine motor skills like using scissors.
NVLD vs ASD
Similarities
The inability to process nonverbal communication is a key trait of NVLD, but those with ASD may also experience challenges understanding nonverbal communication cues in social settings.
Renetta Weaver, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist based in Maryland, says people with NVLD and ASD may have difficulty in nonverbal situations such as reading the room and picking up on social cues.
“A person might be viewed as socially awkward or odd, and is very literal, has black and white thinking, and doesn’t pick up on jokes or innuendos,” Weaver says.
Another commonality between ASD and NVLD is that folks with these conditions often have difficulty making and keeping friends — even during adulthood.
“As adults, the impact can be seen in personal and professional relationships,” Weaver says.
“Their partner might not be satisfied with the communication, and interactions while at work supervisors and colleagues might feel that a person with [NVLD or ASD] is underperforming and has poor work performance.”
Differences
Key differences between NVLD and ASD are speech and sensory challenges. Folks with NVLD may excel at language, speech, and reading, whereas this is a common problem area for autistic folks.
In addition, stimming is common for autistic individuals. While many people stim, including nondisabled folks and those with NVLD, stimming is more likely to lead to disruptive behaviors among autistic people.
And oftentimes, autistic folks are also more likely to become overwhelmed by sensory stimuli, which is less common for those with NVLD.
There are no official medications or therapies specific to NVLD.
But parents could try addressing each of their child’s challenges individually. This may look like:
- being mindful of potential distractions and planning ahead
- writing out to-do lists and instructions
- requesting accommodations for extra time for assignments and deadlines
- choosing therapy options to address specific challenges (i.e., behavioral or physical therapy)
However, these suggestions aren’t one-size-fits-all.
Accommodations
According to Mannis, it can be more helpful to address the unique needs of a person with NVLD, rather than focus on general skill deficits or time-management issues, and accommodate those needs accordingly.
“Just helping a person plan when they will do [their school work] is not the same as teaching the person how to annotate tactically and how to fluently put the ideas in order,” Mannis explains.
“[The student] is not well served just being taught how to put information and deadlines into a Google calendar. That person needs to learn how to tabulate information, how to memorize details for an exam, and how to [organize] information.”
Stil, Mannis says that many students are placed in settings or classes that don’t accommodate their needs. In her experience, she says that kids are often put in classes below their skill or intelligence level because they’re unable to demonstrate what they know through the usual modes of assessment.
“To my mind, this is going to be the next great ADA civil rights issue around test accommodations. I am currently tasked every single week and advocating for students who require specific accommodations.”
Increased representation
The public discussion of Rock’s NVLD diagnosis has brought more awareness to the condition, which may help reduce the stigma.
“Hopefully discussing NVLD will be an opportunity for us to look In a more nuanced and compassionate way about it and about other disorders,” Mannis says.
To end the stigma around NVLD, folks with this condition need access to mental health care and educational resources, and accommodations in classrooms. They also need love and support from their caregivers.
Folks with NVLD in marginalized communities may also face additional challenges.
“There continue to be some long-standing barriers [to] Communities of Color getting the mental health and medical care [they need] to help them survive and thrive, [including] the mistrust that People of Color have toward the medical community,” Weaver says.
“Another is the stigmatized view that People of Color might have when it comes to being diagnosed. Racial disparities are real because a lot of symptoms among People of Color could easily be mislabeled, demonized, and criminalized.”
Changes to diagnostic criteria
While NVLD is acknowledged as a learning disability within schools, NVLD is no longer recognized as a clinical disorder by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5).
“It’s a disservice to people with nonverbal learning disabilities when they are misdiagnosed as having poor attention or anxiety problems,” Mannis says.
“Since the DSM no longer classifies nonverbal learning disability as a disorder, there’s tremendous debate in the diagnostic community and in how accommodations are provided to people.”
Removing some of the barriers to care and improving accommodations could help make those with NVLD feel more comfortable, understood, and acknowledged by society.
And when more people with NVLD are appropriately diagnosed, it may help increase funding for research and treatments, which could help make a case for future inclusion in the DSM-5.
Increased representation like Chris Rock and inclusion in the DSM-5 could help reduce the stigma around NVLD.
If you’ve noticed that you or your child are exhibiting some of the nonverbal difficulties of NVLD, you may wish to meet with a clinician for more guidance. But since there are varying opinions on NVLD, you might consider doing some research first.
If and when you do meet with a learning specialist or therapist, Mannis says it may be helpful to get a sense of their methodology and treatment plan before agreeing to move forward.
“It’s critical that you quiz the person and properly interview them to understand how [they] approach NVLD at different ages and stages,” Mannis says.
Chris Rock's Non-Verbal Learning Disorder Gains Attention After Oscars Slap
News
By Anders Anglesey
News Chris rock Will Smith Oscars Academy awards
Chris Rock's non-verbal learning disorder (NVLD) diagnosis gained renewed attention after he was slapped by Will Smith at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony.
Smith stunned viewers when he walked on stage and slapped the comedian moments after he made a joke about the actor's wife Jada Pinkett Smith.
Smith slapped Rock over a joke about his wife's shaved head, which was due to alopecia—a hair-loss condition.
The subsequent controversy overshadowed Smith's best actor win, the ceremony as a whole and brought intensified attention to him and Rock.
Commentators and people online criticized both Rock and Smith over the joke and slap, respectively.
Smith has since resigned from the Oscars Academy over the slap and said in a statement: "My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful and inexcusable."
In the aftermath of the slap controversy, a renewed focus has fallen on Rock's NVLD diagnosis.
Chris Rock is seen backstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. Rock's NVLD diagnosis gained more attention following the slap. GettyAccording to the NVLD Project, a nonprofit that aims to raise awareness of the condition, people with it "specifically have difficulty with social skills and spatial concepts."
Since the slap, Google searches for NVLD on Google have risen sharply, with peak interest in the condition seen on March 31.
People on social media have shared information about Rock and NVLD on their Twitter profiles in recent days.
Actress and producer Austin Highsmith Garces said in a March 31 tweet: "Just learned that Chris Rock himself has a disability. He has NVLD which is similar to Asperger's Syndrome."
Just learned that Chris Rock himself has a disability. He has NVLD which is similar to Asperger’s Syndrome. https://t.co/VUPX1tngL2
— Austin Highsmith Garces (@AustinHighsmith) March 31, 2022
Legal correspondent Amy Dash shared a March 29 post on the platform, which read: "Great time for @ChrisRock to draw attention to his non-verbal learning disorder diagnosis and its impact on his social interactions.
"Could help a lot of people who may not otherwise realize they or someone they know has NLD. Look it up."
Great time for @chrisrock to draw attention to his Non-verbal learning disorder diagnosis & its impact on his social interactions.
— Amy Dash (@AmyDashTV) March 29, 2022Could help a lot of people who may not otherwise realize they or someone they know has NLD. Look it up!
Showrunner Holly Sorensen added in a March 28 tweet: "As long as we're talking diagnoses, Chris Rock has non-verbal learning disorder.
"It's a neurological condition that includes difficulty ready social cue and social appropriateness."
As long as we’re talking diagnoses, Chris Rock has Non Verbal Learning Disorder. Its a neurological condition that includes difficulty reading social cues and social appropriateness. https://t.co/FxGA2WX7uQ
— Holly Sorensen (@HollyBSorensen) March 28, 2022
Rock himself has been open about his NVLD diagnosis and his experience with the condition in several interviews.
The comedian told celebrity news outlet ExtraTV in May last year that he was diagnosed after a friend told him that he could have Asperger's Syndrome.
He added: "It turned out that I had something that was a lot like Asperger's. I kinda have a hard time with non-verbal cues with people.
"I always have. I didn't know I did, but I'm great with words. I can hear, but most communication—they say that 70 percent of all communication is non-verbal."
He told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that he had difficulties with one-on-one relationships.
"And I'd always just chalked it up to being famous. Any time someone would respond to me in a negative way, I'd think, 'Whatever, they're responding to something that has to do with who they think I am.' Now, I'm realizing it was me. A lot of it was me," Rock said.
Newsweek has contacted Rock's representatives for comment.
According to a study published by the American Medical Association's JAMA Network Open in April 2020, as many as one in 25 children and adolescents in the U.S. and Canada may have NVLD.
It added the findings estimated that between 2.
2 million to 2.9 million U.S. children under 18 could have NVLD.
A summary of the study added: "7 percent to 50 percent (depending on sample) had received no psychiatric diagnosis."
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Etiquette expert explains who is right in the conflict between Will Smith and Chris Rock - Moscow 24.03.2022
28 March 2022, 17:57
in the world
Scandal involving actor Will Smith erupted during the 94th ceremony the Oscars. Live, he slapped host comedian Chris Rock. The skirmish occurred because of a humorist's joke about the hairstyle of Smith's wife. We tell the details, and also understand where the border of permitted humor lies.
Avenged his wife
Actor Will Smith stood up for his wife on the live broadcast of the Oscars and punched the host of the event, comedian Chris Rock, in the face. The skirmish occurred after the humorist joked about the appearance of actress Jada Pinkett Smith.
Rock noted that she has "surprisingly very short hair."
Jada, I love you. Can't wait for G.I. Jane 2 to come out.
Chris Rock
comedian, host of the 94th Academy Awards
Thus, the humorist made a reference to the shaved heroine Demi Moore in the film "GI Jane". At the same time, Pinkett Smith had almost completely lost her hair due to an autoimmune disease. At the ceremony, she had a shaved head.
Smith ended up on stage and punched Rock. He then returned to his seat and yelled at the comedian in an obscene manner to stop talking about his wife. The organizer of the broadcast TV channel ABC even had to mute the sound. The presenter looked discouraged immediately after what happened, however, having recovered, he told the audience that "it was the greatest night in the history of television."
Smith soon returned to the stage. This time, for the first time in his entire career, he received an Oscar in the Best Actor category.
The prestigious statuette to the star actor was brought by the role of the father of tennis legends Serena and Venus Williams in the film "King Richard". Overwhelmed with emotion, Smith burst into tears and asked for forgiveness for his actions, and also noted that it is important in life to protect your family.
"In this business, you have to let people disrespect you, smile like it's normal," the actor shared.
I want to apologize to the Academy, to all the colleagues who were nominated today.
Will Smith
actor
Chris Rock reportedly refused to file a police report after an altercation with Smith. At the same time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a message that it "does not accept violence in any form."
Unacceptable jokes
Will Smith hit comedian Chris Rock for a joke during the Oscar ceremony
Etiquette and intercultural communications expert Svetlana Grokhotova told Moscow 24 that Chris Rock's joke about Jada Pinkett Smith's hair was unacceptable .
Jokes about a person's appearance are not allowed. They are very offensive, hint at inferiority. Moreover, Smith's wife has an autoimmune disease that affects her appearance. Nobody is immune from this.
Svetlana Grokhotova
expert on etiquette and intercultural communications
According to the expert, the comedian's humor would be appropriate if Pinkett-Smith was publicly self-deprecating about her baldness. However, it is known that she was very worried about this, Grokhotova added. At the same time, Will Smith's reaction turned out to be overly aggressive, the specialist believes. "According to the rules of etiquette, we must restrain ourselves in any situation. Physical assault is the last stage when it comes to self-defense," she said.
It would be more effective for Smith to resolve the conflict without violence, Grokhotova believes. “If he had put the host hard in his place with words, or left the hall in protest, or demanded a public apology, turned to the administration, in this case everyone would have been on his side,” the expert said.
Now the clash has become ambivalent, and Smith has suffered a loss of image among the American audience, who considered his answer too harsh, says Grokhotova. Meanwhile, film critic Yegor Moskvitin, in an interview with Moscow 24, said that he does not share the position of a number of commentators who believe that the scandal could have been staged.
From the point of view of rationality, Will Smith loses a lot from this action. Now he is being ostracized by colleagues who are angry online. He is no longer invited to the photo of the four actors who took the Oscars. The photo was taken for the first time with three actors.
Egor Moskvitin
film critic
"He had a lot of problems, and it is not clear why he needed them on that evening, when he was absolutely supposed to become a triumphant. The bookmakers were almost 100% sure that it was Smith who would win" Oscar,” said Moskvitin.
The film critic noted that, judging by the frames of the broadcast, Smith first laughed at Rock's joke, and went to sort things out after he saw his wife's indignation.
According to the expert, if the artists had an agreement in advance that one is rude and the other defends, most likely they would play it right away. Moskvitin is convinced that this was Smith's absolutely sincere reaction.
"He says that there are a lot of insults, humiliation, rudeness in this industry, so you must be able to stand up for yourself. But in the end, he himself becomes the one who, once in a position of power, power, influence, success, allows himself assault. It does not paint him, "the film critic emphasized.
In his opinion, all participants in the scandal now regret what happened.
Nosatov Ivan
culture abroadshow business
Staging or not? Physiognomist and acting teacher discuss the incident between Will Smith and Chris Rock
- EXCLUSIVE
For almost a week now, controversy has not subsided on the Web due to an incident that happened at the last Oscars.
In the midst of the event, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith from the stage, after which he received a slap in the face from her husband Will Smith. Despite the over-the-top level of drama, everything that happened looked a bit strained, so many viewers decided that the organizers of the ceremony themselves staged this performance. They say the incident was planned for the sake of raising the ratings (the audience of the broadcast really grew after what happened at times, and the video of the impact on YouTube gained 86 million views in a few days). Despite the fact that the Academy has publicly disavowed the scandal, rumors that everything was rigged do not subside.
The PEOPLETALK team, along with a physiognomist (reading non-verbal body language) and an acting teacher, carefully reviewed the broadcast and answer the main question of the week: is the skirmish between Will Smith and Chris Rock staged?
Svetlana Filatova, physiognomist and profiler
Will Smith laughed until he saw his wife's reaction - she didn't like the joke.
When he walks, it is clear that initially there is no aggression in him - he hit Chris Rock not because he was angry, but because he wanted to please Jada, how to play along with her. In the process, when he sat down and began to speak, he had already shaken himself psychologically, so the last words were with anger: you can see, for example, pursed lips.
Who benefits from this in the end? The Academy denies the incident (“Oscar” can also lose on this), but Chris Rock wins. Note: A black comedian provoked a black actor. See how well everything fits together. It seems to me that this was a planned action, but not from the side of the Academy (although they may not have been against it), but from Chris Rock. Such messages are now also slipping in the media: he has greatly increased ticket sales for the show, everyone has heard his name, although many may not have known about him before. He has greatly increased his popularity. Moreover, during his joke there were many gestures, meaning that he does not understand that he has entered "foreign territory.
"
I think Chris Rock was very close to Will Smith's character. I looked at the formula of the soul of the latter, that, despite his acting abilities, he is poorly oriented in society, behaves stiffly. This is a feature of his character - if you make him angry (which is easy to do through his wife, whom he appreciates very much), then, of course, you can get a certain reaction.
Artem Malkov, actor, director, theater teacher
A new trend of acting existence in the frame has clearly matured in the world. With the help of gadgets, anyone can become a popular character. It is important that it be short, bright and slightly casual. Actually, this is exactly what we observed at the presentation of the world's oldest film award. Such a TikTok scandal, without unnecessary emotions and dramaturgy. One thing is clear: of course, it was a scene played. Most likely, not rehearsed, but well-prepared impromptu. It can be seen that the guys agreed, but Will Smith obviously did not finish.
