When we misread autistic people, it may not be a lack of empathy—it may be a mismatch
eurekalert.org
Autistic people aren't failing to connect — new research suggests the communication gap runs both ways, a mutual mismatch rather than a one-sided deficit.
Double Empathy ProblemTheory of MindSocial Identity TheoryAttribution Error
Theory Briefing
- The Double Empathy Problem reframes autism research: communication breakdowns may be mutual, not a flaw unique to autistic people.
- Non-autistic people also struggle to read autistic people accurately, suggesting the mismatch is bidirectional.
- This challenges the long-held deficit model, which placed the burden of failed communication entirely on autistic individuals.
- The findings raise questions about how therapies and social skills training have been designed — and who they assume needs fixing.