Autism

Biography

Biography: Christine K Duff

Abstract

Theory of Mind (ToM) differences allege to explain the “impaired ability of people with autism to attribute mental states (beliefs, knowledge) to other people, due to lack of perspective taking (Baron-Cohen, Leslie, and Frith, 1985), mindreading, mentalizing, and mind blindness” (Baron-Cohen, 1985, 1995). Matching emotionally descriptive words to pictures of another person’s eyes (The Mind’s Eye Test) is typically used to provide evidence of “gaze abnormalities in autism resulting in failure to comprehend eyes convey information about a given mental state, and that individuals with autism spectrum disorder are specifically ‘blind’ to such information” (Baron-Cohen, Wheelwright, Hill, Raste, and Plum, 2001, p. 379). If one successfully matches an emotionally charged word to the correct representative facial picture - they are deemed to exhibit ToM and empathy for others. This assertion however, presents difficulties in determining whether ‘match-match’ responses are the result of an internalized process of ‘self’, and ‘other’ awareness; or an external, conditioned, and/or memorized response. Moreover, social algorithmic stories and responses learned via repetitive discrete trial teaching can produce anxiety and frustration when rehearsed social situations are not ‘played out’ in real life. In response to shortcomings, this presentation introduces a N¬¬¬¬eurodiverse ToM and Empathetic Paradigm approach toward positioning ToM social skill interventions for individuals with ASD, based upon student awareness of ‘self”. Guided understanding of “what, where, and when” empathetic response is appropriate for neurodiverse individuals will be discussed, in addition to delineation of when it may be inappropriate for neurotypical individuals to make response demands.