The Double Empathy Problem
For years society has operated on the deficit model of connection and empathy for autistic individuals. Dr. Damian Milton proposed, “What if it isn’t actually that autistic people struggle with empathy, but what if allistic (non-autistic) and autistic people don’t understand each other’s displays of emotion and empathy?” (Milton, 2012). Hence the name “Double Empathy Problem.” It’s not a problem with having double the amount of empathy; rather both parties having a problem (Milton, 2012). His idea can be likened to two people who speak different languages that share the same initial origin. Some things come across but not everything. Milton (2012) states, “If one can apply a label on the ‘other’ locating the problem in them, it also resolves the applier of the label’s ‘natural attitude’ of responsibility in their own perceptions…” Meaning that allistic folks have more or less dodged responsibility in their interactions with autistic folks through “othering” them and seeing themse...