Beyond First Impressions: Bridging the Communication Divide Between Autistic and Neurotypical Individuals
As an autistic adult and gestalt processor who has been married to my neurotypical spouse for nearly 30 years, the topic of effective communication between autistic and neurotypical individuals is of great personal interest to me. Navigating the complex landscape of social interactions and understanding each other’s unique perspectives can be challenging, even in the context of a long-term, loving relationship. This is why a recent article proposing a new framework for social communication support caught my attention.
The article, authored by Maya Albin, Isabella Chawrun, and Ami Tint, highlights the difficulties autistic and neurotypical people often face when attempting to communicate effectively with one another. Despite evidence that communication breakdowns occur at an interactional level, most current ‘interventions’ focus solely on changing autistic behaviours and teaching neurotypical social skills. As someone who processes information in a holistic, non-verbal manner, I can attest to the frustration and limitations of this approach.
The authors propose adapting ‘communication partner training’ (CPT), a framework currently used to support individuals with acquired communication differences, such as aphasia or traumatic brain injury, to better serve autistic adults and their neurotypical communication partners. CPT emphasises promoting understanding of communication differences, adapting the communication environment, and identifying collaborative strategies to foster meaningful interactions.
Whilst acknowledging the fundamental differences between acquired communication disorders and autism, the authors believe that CPT principles can inform more effective social communication support for autistic adults. They provide thoughtful recommendations for future CPT program development, including the need to consider each person’s intersecting identities and the dynamic impact of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors on communication.
As someone who has firsthand experience navigating the complexities of autistic-neurotypical communication in my personal and professional lives, I find this proposed framework both refreshing and promising. By centering the development of these programs around the lived experiences of autistic adults and their communication partners, we can work towards creating more inclusive, understanding, and supportive environments for individuals across the neurological spectrum.
Key Points from Related Literature
Here are some key points from related literature and studies, which mostly seem to reinforce the notion that it’s us autistic folks that need the fixing:
Communication Skills and Support Needs: Autistic adults have complex views on their communication skills and needs. They identify both the benefits of communication and the significant negative impact of communication difficulties on their lives, highlighting the necessity for support at individual and societal levels (Cummins et al., 2020).
Social Skills Training: Social skills training programs for autistic adolescents and adults show promising results. Techniques like modeling, coaching, and role-playing help participants improve their conversational skills and social interactions (Mesibov, 1984).
Virtual Conversation Partners: Simulations and virtual conversation partners can be effective tools for teaching conversational skills to autistic individuals, showing high user satisfaction and perceived helpfulness (Trepagnier et al., 2011).
Autism Acceptance Training: Training neurotypical individuals to better understand and accept autism can improve social interactions between autistic and neurotypical people, increasing mutual interest in social engagement (Jones et al., 2021).
Intersubjectivity in Neurodivergent Communication: Autistic individuals often exhibit unique ways of building social understanding, emphasising the need for communication strategies that accommodate these differences (Heasman & Gillespie, 2018).
The existing literature on communication support for autistic adults often reinforces the notion that the onus is on autistic individuals to adapt and improve their communication skills. However, as an autistic person who has navigated the complexities of communication for over five decades, I believe this one-sided approach fails to address the core issues at play.
Studies have shown that autistic adults have nuanced views on their communication skills and needs, recognising both the benefits and challenges of social interactions (Cummins et al., 2020). Whilst social skills training programs that utilise techniques like modeling, coaching, and role-playing have shown promise in improving conversational skills (Mesibov, 1984), they often fail to consider the unique ways in which autistic individuals build social understanding (Heasman & Gillespie, 2018).
Virtual conversation partners and simulations have emerged as potential tools for teaching conversational skills to autistic individuals, with high reported levels of user satisfaction and perceived helpfulness (Trepagnier et al., 2011). However, these approaches still place the burden of change on the autistic person, rather than fostering mutual understanding and accommodation.
Interestingly, a study by Jones et al. (2021) found that training neurotypical individuals to better understand and accept autism can significantly improve social interactions between autistic and neurotypical people, increasing mutual interest in social engagement. This finding highlights the importance of a two-way approach to communication support, one that involves both autistic individuals and their neurotypical communication partners.
As an autistic gestalt processor, I have firsthand experience with the challenges of navigating social interactions in a world that often expects me to conform to neurotypical norms. The current literature, whilst offering some valuable insights, falls short in addressing the fundamental need for a paradigm shift in how we approach communication support for autistic adults.
By focusing solely on changing autistic behaviours and teaching neurotypical social skills, we fail to recognise and accommodate the unique strengths and perspectives that autistic individuals bring to social interactions. It is time for a more holistic, inclusive approach that empowers both autistic and neurotypical individuals to foster mutual understanding, respect, and effective communication.
Takeaways Jones et al.
The study “Greater Social Interest Between Autistic and Non-autistic Conversation Partners Following Autism Acceptance Training for Non-autistic People” by Jones et al. (2021) offers valuable insights into the potential of autism acceptance training (AAT) for improving social interactions between autistic and non-autistic adults. The researchers found that when non-autistic participants completed a brief AAT program, both they and their autistic conversation partners reported greater interest in future social interactions compared to a control group. This finding highlights the importance of fostering understanding and acceptance among non-autistic individuals to create more positive social outcomes for autistic adults. The study suggests that by providing non-autistic people with accurate information about autism and firsthand accounts from autistic individuals, we can reduce stigma, increase inclusive attitudes, and ultimately enhance the quality of social interactions across neurotypes.
However, it is important to note that the training did not significantly impact all aspects of the interactions, such as perceived quality or first impressions. The authors acknowledge that more comprehensive, systematic changes may be necessary to fully bridge the communication gap between autistic and non-autistic people. Additionally, the study revealed differences in how autistic and non-autistic participants evaluated their interactions, with non-autistic individuals placing greater emphasis on their partner’s social presentation and intelligence when assessing interaction quality. This finding underscores the need for further research to explore and address the unique perspectives and priorities that autistic and non-autistic people bring to social situations. Despite these limitations, the study represents a promising step towards a more balanced, bidirectional approach to improving communication and social opportunities for autistic adults in a predominantly non-autistic world.
First impressions are SO important to the neuro-majority. Why?
The findings of Jones et al. (2021) underscore a critical observation: whilst AAT increased mutual social interest between autistic and non-autistic (NA) individuals, it did not significantly impact all aspects of interactions, particularly perceived quality or first impressions. This suggests that while brief interventions can enhance social interest, deeper, more systematic changes are necessary to bridge the communication gap effectively.
One notable aspect is the neurotypical (NT) hyper-focus on first impressions. NT individuals often place considerable weight on these initial judgments, which can be influenced by superficial traits such as appearance, social smoothness, and immediate conversational ease. This emphasis can inadvertently perpetuate biases against autistic individuals, whose social communication styles may diverge from NT norms. First impressions are typically formed rapidly and can be difficult to alter, leading to persistent misconceptions and exclusionary behaviors towards autistic individuals.
The study’s findings highlight that NT participants who received AAT did not significantly alter their first impressions or perceptions of interaction quality. This may be due to the entrenched nature of NT social norms and expectations. Despite training, NT individuals might still rely on instinctual evaluations, which are influenced by long-standing social conditioning and implicit biases. Therefore, whilst AAT can foster increased social interest, it might not be sufficient to transform these ingrained first impression biases.
To fully bridge the communication divide, it is essential to shift the focus from merely altering autistic individuals to educating NT individuals on the diverse communication styles and strengths within the autistic community. Long-term, immersive, and systemic educational approaches are needed to dismantle the biases associated with first impressions. These approaches should aim to cultivate genuine understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity, moving beyond superficial judgments. Only through such comprehensive changes can we hope to create more inclusive social environments where autistic individuals are valued for their unique perspectives and contributions, rather than being marginalized due to initial misjudgments.
Can we escape NT superficiality?
Escaping NT superficiality in social interactions remains a profound challenge, particularly for those of us who are gestalt processors. The studies mentioned in today’s article reveal that whilst brief interventions can spark increased social interest, they fall short in altering deeply ingrained NT biases related, especially those related to first impressions. This hyper-focus on superficial traits—like immediate conversational ease and appearance—often leaves autistic individuals at a disadvantage.
As an autistic gestalt processor, I often perceive patterns and connections that NT individuals might overlook. This can result in a communication style that diverges from NT norms, leading to misinterpretations and hasty judgments. The research underscores that these first impressions, heavily weighted by NT individuals, are resilient to change even with targeted training. This persistence of superficiality in NT evaluations highlights the need for more profound and systemic shifts in societal attitudes.
To truly escape NT superficiality, it is essential to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of neurodiversity. This involves moving beyond superficial judgments to recognise and value the rich, complex ways autistic individuals engage with the world. Comprehensive educational approaches that immerse NT individuals in autistic perspectives can help dismantle biases and cultivate genuine inclusivity. By shifting the focus from altering autistic ways of being to enhancing NT understanding and acceptance, we can create social environments where autistic individuals are not merely tolerated but embraced for their unique contributions to the richness of life.