Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
Home> Volumes> Volume CHR Vol.55> Article
Research Article

Revisiting the Double Empathy Problem: Communicative Mismatch Between Autistic People and Neurotypicals

Chuting LaiAcademy of Future Education, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Previously, communication difficulties between autistic people and their non-autistic peers were attributed to the Theory of Mind deficit; an alternative model was proposed in the recent decade, arguing for a bidirectional breakdown in communication across neurotypes. By reviewing selected articles, empirical evidence favored the double empathy problem (DEP), suggesting both autistic and non-autistic people feel higher enjoyment when interacting with people of the same neurotypes. This review analyzed that autistic individuals rely less on facial expressions, directness of communication as well as better detail retention in written materials. However, researchers might want to incorporate autistic voices and explore the underlying mechanism of DEP to form a robust view. It is also important to create a neurodiverse world that can be beneficial for both autistic and non-autistic individuals.

Keywords: Autism; double empathy problem; social interaction; neurodiversity
Published: March 7, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2024.21309
Volume: CHR Vol.55
pp. 65-71
Download PDF

References

  1. American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
  2. Mitchell, P., Sheppard, E., Wong, G. T. L., Ropar, D., & Pillai, D. (2016). How easy is it to read the minds of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 1247–1254.
  3. Livingston, L. A., Hargitai, L. D., & Shah, P. (2024). The double empathy problem: A derivation chain analysis and cautionary note. Psychological Review.
  4. Baron-Cohen, S. (1995). Mindblindness: An essay on autism and theory of mind. The MIT Press.
  5. Broekhof, E., Ketelaar, L., Stockmann, L., van Zijp, A., Bos, M. G. N., & Rieffe, C. (2015). The understanding of intentions, desires and beliefs in young children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(7), 2035–2045. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2363-3
  6. Velikonja, T., Fett, A. K., & Velthorst, E. (2019). Patterns of nonsocial and social cognitive functioning in adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 76(2), 135–151. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.3645
  7. Kanske, P., & Murray, R. J. (2021). The neurobiological bases of understanding others. Cortex, 134, 351–357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j .cortex.2020.12.012
  8. Gernsbacher, M. A., & Yergeau, M. (2019). Empirical failures of the claim that autistic people lack a theory of mind. Archives of Scientific Psychology, 7(1), 102–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/arc0000067
  9. Milton, D.E.M. (2012).On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’. Disability & Society, 27(6), 883-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2012.710008
  10. Bagnall, R., Russell, A., Brosnan, M., & Maras, K. (2023). Autistic adults' inclination to lie in everyday situations. Autism, 28(3), 719-728. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231183911
  11. Crompton, C., Ropar, D., Evans-Williams, C., Flynn, E., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2020). Autistic peer-to-peer information transfer is highly effective. Autism, 24(7), 1704-1712. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320919286
  12. Crompton, C. J., & Fletcher-Watson, S. (2020). 'I never realised everybody felt as happy as I do when I am around autistic people': A thematic analysis of autistic adults' relationships with autistic and neurotypical friends and family. Autism, 24(6), 1438-1448. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320908976
  13. Morrison, K., Debrabander, K., Jones, D., Faso, D., Ackerman, R., & Sasson, N. (2020). Outcomes of real-world social interaction for autistic adults paired with autistic compared to typically developing partners. Autism, 24(5), 1067-1080. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319892701
  14. Sheppard, E., Webb, S., & Wilkinson, H. (2024). Mindreading beliefs in same-and cross-neurotype interactions. Autism, 28(7), 1828-1837.
  15. McNaughton, K. A., Moss, A., Yarger, H. A., & Redcay, E. (2024). Smiling synchronization predicts interaction enjoyment in peer dyads of autistic and neurotypical youth. Autism, 13623613241238269.
  16. Faso, D. J., Sasson, N. J., & Pinkham, A. E. (2015). Evaluating posed and evoked facial expressions of emotion from adults with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45, 75-89.
  17. Hubbard, D. J., Faso, D. J., Assmann, P. F., & Sasson, N. J. (2017). Production and perception of emotional prosody by adults with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, 10(12), 1991-2001.
  18. Clin, E., & Kissine, M. (2023). Neurotypical, but not autistic, adults might experience distress when looking at someone avoiding eye contact: A live face-to-face paradigm. Autism, 27(7), 1949–1959. DOI: 10.1177/13623613221148553
  19. Katja, Dindar., Soile, Loukusa., Eeva, K, Leinonen., Leena, Mäkinen., Laura, Mämmelä., Marja-Leena, Mattila., Hanna, Ebeling., Tuula, Hurtig. (2022). Autistic adults and adults with sub-clinical autistic traits differ from non-autistic adults in social-pragmatic inferencing and narrative discourse. Autism, 27(5):1320-1335. doi: 10.1177/13623613221136003
  20. Rifai, O. M., Jiménez-Sánchez, L., & Crompton, C. J. (2023). Variability in social signals and rapport in autistic, nonautistic, and mixed interactions. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
  21. Chapple, M., Davis, P., Billington, J., Myrick, J. A., Ruddock, C., & Corcoran, R. (2021). Overcoming the double empathy problem within pairs of autistic and non-autistic adults through the contemplation of serious literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 708375.
  22. Shalev, I., Warrier, V., Greenberg, D. M., Smith, P., Allison, C., Baron‐Cohen, S., ... & Uzefovsky, F. (2022). Reexamining empathy in autism: Empathic disequilibrium as a novel predictor of autism diagnosis and autistic traits. Autism Research, 15(10), 1917-1928.
  23. Milton, D. (2020). A critical reflection on the development of the Participatory Autism Research Collective.
  24. Cook, J. M., Crane, L., & Mandy, W. (2024). Dropping the mask: It takes two. Autism, 28(4), 831-842.
  25. Chen, Y.-L., Schneider, M., & Patten, K. (2022). Exploring interpersonal and environmental factors of autistic adolescents' peer engagement in integrated education. Autism, 26(5), 1255-1266. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613211046158
  26. Finke, E. (2023). The kind of friend I think I am: Perceptions of autistic and non-autistic young adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 53(3047-3064). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-05678-9
  27. Forbes, P. A., Chaliani, I., Schilbach, L., & Kalenscher, T. (2024). Autistic adults show enhanced generosity to socially distant others. Autism, 28(4), 999-1009.