Nonverbal communication experiences of autistic adults

What is it about?

Why is this an important issue? Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language. It is usually combined with spoken language (such as saying “look!” while pointing at something). Nonverbal communication helps us understand others and influences how well other people understand us. Autistic people use nonverbal communication differently from non-autistic people. These differences can lead to misunderstandings that make autistic people feel isolated and vulnerable, and can have a negative impact on work, healthcare, and relationships. What was the purpose of this study? We wanted to understand how differences in nonverbal communication affect autistic people’s lives. So far, no research has investigated what autistic people think and feel about nonverbal cues like facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language. What did the researchers do? We read comments made by autistic people on the online chat forum wrongplanet.net that were focused on using and understanding nonverbal communication. We identified experiences that were shared by multiple people and described as important to their lives. What were the results of the study? This study has 5 main findings. (1) Autistic people process nonverbal communication differently. Many people said they need more time and energy to process nonverbal communication and combine it with spoken language; (2) Autistic people’s nonverbal communication is often misinterpreted, and autistic people often misinterpret the nonverbal communication of others; (3) Autistic people’s lives are negatively affected by differences in nonverbal communication; (4) Autistic people have ways of managing these differences; and (5) Autistic people have a wide range of ability when it comes to producing and understanding nonverbal communication. What do these findings add to what was already known? We found support for previous research suggesting that autistic people process nonverbal communication differently, that nonverbal communication is often a source of misunderstanding, and that differences in nonverbal communication negatively affect autistic people’s lives. This study is unique because it describes autistic people’s experiences of nonverbal communication in their own words, without being directed by a researcher. This approach helps identify aspects of nonverbal communication that are relevant and important for this group of autistic people. What are the potential weaknesses in the study? The autistic contributors in this study were able to communicate using written language, but not all autistic people can communicate this way. It is important to include autistic people with limited language in future research on nonverbal communication. How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future? These findings may give non-autistic people a better understanding of how autistic people use and understand nonverbal communication, including the difficulties experienced and some of the strategies used by autistic people to minimise these challenges. We suggest that all members of society work towards a better understanding of autistic communication differences, and that everyone share the responsibility for reducing misunderstandings. This includes respecting the way an autistic person prefers to communicate. It also includes checking understanding, avoiding assumptions about what nonverbal communication means for autistic people, and using individualised communication support plans.

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Why is it important?

Nonverbal communication includes facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language. It is usually combined with spoken language (such as saying “look!” while pointing at something). Nonverbal communication helps us understand others and influences how well other people understand us. Autistic people use nonverbal communication differently from non-autistic people. These differences can lead to misunderstandings that make autistic people feel isolated and vulnerable, and can have a negative impact on work, healthcare, and relationships. These findings may give non-autistic people a better understanding of how autistic people use and understand nonverbal communication, including the difficulties experienced and some of the strategies used by autistic people to minimise these challenges. We suggest that all members of society work towards a better understanding of autistic communication differences, and that everyone share the responsibility for reducing misunderstandings. This includes respecting the way an autistic person prefers to communicate. It also includes checking understanding, avoiding assumptions about what nonverbal communication means for autistic people, and using individualised communication support plans.