Autism and the “Double Empathy Problem”

There's a concept related to autism and empathy called "the double empathy problem" that does a decent job of explaining that autistic people are not "the problem" when it comes to this particular communication issue.

It explains that there is a mutual lack of understanding in many instances where there is a communication breakdown between autistic and nonautistic people, and therefore a mutual responsibility to address the misunderstanding.

And though I do agree with the overarching premise, I think the name of the theory might be contributing to the misconceptions people have about autism and empathy.

Mainly because the name suggests that the issue is with empathy, and I don't think that's the case at all. That's just what it looks like from the outside.

From the inside, it looks like two people not having communicated their experiences and needs in a way that the other can understand... resulting in a barrier for the other person to access their empathy.

It's not that either can't empathize. It's that they lack the understanding and awareness of the other person to employ their empathy.

So the solution is both sides being willing to explain... listen... and understand. (Easier said than done, I know.)

To be clear, I don't think the double empathy problem concept is suggesting that either person can't empathize. But I do think that the term is creating some level of misunderstanding about what the double empathy problem actually is.

Maybe a slight adjustment to the term might help. Double empathy barrier, perhaps.

Regardless, I do think we have more work to do as a community to explain the internal autistic experience around empathy more accurately.

Because, again, I don't think the issue is with empathy at all. Even though it looks like it.

And I think we will make significantly more progress as a community if others are able to understand what's really causing the empathy mismatch.