Non-autistic observers both detect and demonstrate the double empathy problem when evaluating interactions between autistic and non-autistic adults

This publication is included in the Autistic Autism Scholarship Project. one author of this publication is identified as autistic in the project.

About the autistic author marker

Jones, D. R., Botha, M., Ackerman, R. A., King, K., & Sasson, N. (2023). Non-autistic observers both detect and demonstrate the double empathy problem when evaluating interactions between autistic and non-autistic adults. Autism, 28(8), 2053-2065. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231219743

Publication date: 27 Dec 2023 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

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Authors

Publication authors
5
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 5 (20.0%)

Abstract

Consistent with a “double empathy” framework, autistic adults often experience better interaction with autistic compared with non-autistic partners. Here, we examined whether non-autistic observers detect differences in autistic interactions relative to non-autistic and mixed ones. Non-autistic adults ( N = 102) rated the interaction quality and traits of 42 autistic and 44 non-autistic male participants interacting in same or mixed-neurotype dyads. Non-autistic interactions and participants were evaluated most positively, with participants rated more favorably when interacting with non-autistic partners and rated as less intelligent and awkward when interacting with autistic partners. Observers perceived mixed interactions as the least successful overall. Whereas non-autistic interactions were rated as smoother and more enjoyable than mixed interactions, they were not rated differently from autistic interactions on any measure of interaction quality. Observers also perceived that non-autistic participants but not autistic participants disclosed more to non-autistic partners. However, they evaluated autistic participants more negatively than their partners in the interaction evaluated them; they disproportionately underestimated trust and intelligence ratings made by autistic participants; and they and reported lower social interest in participants than did the autistic and non-autistic people in the interactions. Collectively, these findings indicate that non-autistic adults both detect and demonstrate the double empathy problem when observing social interactions involving autistic people. Lay Abstract The “double empathy problem” refers to breakdowns in communication and understanding that frequently occur between autistic and non-autistic people. Previous studies have shown that autistic people often establish better rapport and connection when interacting with other autistic people compared to when interacting with non-autistic people, but it is unclear whether this is noticeable to non-autistic observers. In this study, 102 non-autistic undergraduate students viewed and rated video recordings of “get to know you” conversations between pairs of autistic and non-autistic adults. Sometimes the pairs were two autistic people, sometimes they were two non-autistic people, and sometimes they were “mixed” interactions of one autistic and one non-autistic person. Observers tended to rate non-autistic participants and their interactions the most favorably, but—consistent with the “double empathy problem”—they rated mixed interactions between autistic and non-autistic people as the least successful. They also perceived that only non-autistic people disclosed more when interacting with a non-autistic conversation partner. Autistic participants’ partners in the conversations tended to evaluate them more favorably than did outside observers, suggesting that personal contact may facilitate more positive evaluations of autistic people. Furthermore, observers expressed less social interest in participants than did the autistic and non-autistic participants in the interactions. Together, these findings suggest that non-autistic observers both detect and demonstrate some aspects of the double empathy problem.

Bibliography cited by this reference

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Cited bibliography overview

These indicators describe the bibliography cited by this publication. An author name is counted each time it appears in one cited reference, so the same person can be counted more than once. Names not yet linked to an author already present in AutiHub are treated as unknown, not as non-autistic. Last computed: 2 Oct 2026 11:54.

Cited references
74
With a DOI
69
Without a DOI, from raw bibliography text
5
13 / 74 (17.6%) cited references include at least one author identified as autistic.
References with data to complete
3 / 74 (4.1%)
References with detected author names
72 / 74 (97.3%)
Without detected author names
2
Without a structured title
3
Without a stable identifier
5
References with raw author names still to review
2
References with external metadata lookup issues
0
These indicators apply to cited references displayed on this page, after technical duplicates have been merged. A reference without a DOI can still support author statistics when a title and author names are available.
Author names detected in the cited bibliography
263
From DOI or external metadata
263
From validated raw bibliography text
0
Raw names already validated
0
Raw names still to review
15
125 / 263 (47.5%) names are linked to an author already present in AutiHub. 138 / 263 (52.5%) names are not yet linked.
Names linked to a person identified as autistic
15 / 263 (5.7%)
Calculated across all author names detected in the cited bibliography. Among names linked to an author already present in AutiHub: 15 / 125 (12.0%). Distinct people identified as autistic: 11 / 204 (5.4%).
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