Abstract
Historically, individuals on the autism spectrum were believed to have deficits in empathy. However, recent research suggests that empathy-related issues occur on both sides of the communication dynamic. This concept known as the Double Empathy Problem (DEP), posits that the perceived lack of empathy is not exclusive to autistic individuals; rather, neurotypical (NT) individuals also experience difficulty empathizing with autistic individuals (Milton, 2012). Milton et al. (2022) describes this as a "breakdown in mutual understanding". Such mutual misunderstanding can have adverse consequences for both autistic and neurotypical individuals. To our knowledge, no studies have directly examined these consequences in relation to the degree of autistic traits exhibited by an individual. The present study explores how the consequences of the DEP differ among individuals across the autism spectrum. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify how the DEP manifests in the lives of autistic individuals with low support needs, those with higher support needs, as well as neurotypical people. We employed multi-perspectival interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to examine similarities and differences in these consequences among the participants. The results were initially grouped into 12 themes, which were later refined into three over-arching, universal themes: (a) being seen, supported, and empowered; (b) experiencing a lack of understanding or being understood; and (c) the interrelatedness of empathy and understanding. Each theme was grounded in the lived experiences of the participants. While similarities were observed across groups, the manifestation of consequences and the preceding experiences varied between participant groups. These findings highlight the diverse impacts of the DEP and underscore that people all along the spectrum of autistic traits experience its effects differently. Recognizing the individuality of autistic people represents a meaningful step toward understanding--and ultimately addressing--the DEP.
Degree
MS
College and Department
David O. McKay School of Education; Communication Disorders
Rights
https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Peck, Cammy C., "Exploring Consequences of the Double Empathy Problem Across the Autistic Trait Spectrum: First Person Accounts" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 10881.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/10881
Date Submitted
2025-06-12
Document Type
Thesis
Handle
http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13717
Keywords
double empathy problem, autism, empathy, consequences, qualitative research
Language
english