Description of Activity
A central diagnostic and anecdotal feature of autism is difficulty with social communication. Traditionally, these difficulties have been regarded as autistic “impairments”, related to proposed cognitive and social “deficits”. This neurodiversity-affirming educational session, geared toward psychiatrists, psychologists, practicing therapists, educators and autistic individuals (formally and self-identified), presents a reframing of these difficulties as two-way, ‘double empathy problem’, from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. This session will share findings from high-quality research into cross-neurotype communication and explore what that means for autism service provision.Learning objectives :
At the end of the session, attendees will be able to:
•Understand and describe the difference between the traditional theory-of-mind (deficit-based) framings of autistic communication, and more recent (neurodiversity-affirming) ‘double empathy problem’ framings.
•Have a greater understanding of how breakdowns in communication between autistic and non-autistic people might be explained from the perspective of cognitive science and linguistics, including how sensory differences may play a part.
•Critically reflect on the ethical implications of the theory-of-mind theories that underpin autism service provisions, including diagnostic autism assessments.
| Period | 29 Sept 2023 |
|---|---|
| Held at | Therapist Neurodiversity Collective, United States |
| Degree of Recognition | International |