On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’

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Milton, D. (2012). On the ontological status of autism: the ‘double empathy problem’. Disability & Society, 27(6), 883-887. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2012.710008

Publication date: 16 Aug 2012 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

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Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 1 (100.0%)
  1. Damian Milton *

Abstract

In recent decades there has been much debate over the ontological status of autism and other neurological ‘disorders’, diagnosed by behavioural indicators, and theorised primarily within the field of cognitive neuroscience and psychological paradigms. Such cognitive-behavioural discourses abstain from acknowledging the universal issue of relationality and interaction in the formation of a contested and constantly reconstructed social reality, produced through the agency of its ‘actors’. The nature of these contested interactions will be explored in this current issues piece through the use of the term the ‘double empathy problem’, and how such a rendition produces a critique of autism being defined as a deficit in ‘theory of mind’, re-framing such issues as a question of reciprocity and mutuality. In keeping with other autistic self-advocates, this piece will refer to ‘autistic people’, and ‘those who identify as on the autism spectrum’, rather than ‘people with autism’.

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Cited references
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Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
2 / 15 (13.3%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
2 / 9 (22.2%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 2 / 2 (100.0%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 2 / 9 (22.2%).
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2 / 9 (22.2%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 2 / 9 (22.2%)
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0 / 2 (0.0%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 0 / 9 (0.0%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 0 / 2 (0.0%).
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