Autism and Employment Challenges: The Double Empathy Problem and Perceptions of an Autistic Employee in the Workplace.

IF 11.3 1区化学 Q1 CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL

ACS Catalysis Pub Date : 2024-06-17 eCollection Date: 2024-06-01 DOI:10.1089/aut.2023.0046

Kathryn A Szechy, Pamela D Turk, Lisa A O'Donnell

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background: High unemployment rates are found among autistic adults. Difficulties with social functioning in non-autistic workplaces can be significant barriers to employment success. Autistic social functioning challenges in non-autistic spaces have traditionally been attributed to assumed impairments in Theory of Mind (ToM). Alternatively, the Double Empathy Problem (DEP) posits that autistic social challenges arise not from assumed impairments within the autistic person but instead from mutual misunderstandings in the autistic/non-autistic social interaction. The purpose of this study was to compare the ToM impairments explanation of autistic social functioning with the DEP, within the context of autistic employee social functioning in a non-autistic workplace.

Methods: This study compared autistic and non-autistic participants' ability to accurately interpret the behaviors of an autistic employee at work. A sample of 254 participants (173 non-autistic and 81 autistic) read a vignette about a hypothetical autistic employee having difficulty coping in the workplace. Participants answered open-ended questions regarding their interpretation of the employee's behavior and emotional state.

Results: A significantly greater proportion of autistic participants (50.7%) accurately interpreted the behavior of the employee compared with non-autistic participants (31.2%) (χ ² = 8.65, p = 0.003). Autistic participants with the highest behavior interpretation scores had significantly higher mean self-reported autism traits scores (M = 26.8) compared with autistic participants who scored lowest on behavior interpretation (M = 19.3, p < 0.001). The opposite relationship was found for non-autistic participants.

Conclusions: Results from this study contribute to evidence supporting the DEP, shifting the paradigm of autistic social functioning away from a deficit model and toward addressing mutual misunderstandings in the autistic/non-autistic social interaction. The pattern of findings between neurotype groups by behavior interpretation abilities on an autism traits measure points to mutual misunderstandings as a clash of neurologically different social cultures. Addressing the DEP in the workplace would contribute to removing barriers to successful employment for autistic adults.

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自闭症与就业挑战：职场自闭症员工的双重移情问题和认知

背景：自闭症成人的失业率很高。在非自闭症工作场所的社交障碍可能是成功就业的重大障碍。自闭症患者在非自闭症环境中的社交障碍传统上被认为是心智理论（ToM）障碍所致。另外，"双重移情问题"（DEP）则认为，自闭症患者的社交障碍并非来自自闭症患者的假定障碍，而是来自自闭症患者与非自闭症患者社交互动中的相互误解。本研究的目的是以自闭症员工在非自闭症工作场所的社交功能为背景，比较 ToM 损伤对自闭症社交功能的解释和 DEP 的解释：本研究比较了自闭症和非自闭症参与者准确解释自闭症员工工作行为的能力。254 名参与者（173 名非自闭症参与者和 81 名自闭症参与者）阅读了一个假想的自闭症员工在工作场所遇到困难的小故事。参与者回答了有关他们对该员工的行为和情绪状态的解释的开放式问题：与非自闭症参与者（31.2%）相比，自闭症参与者（50.7%）中准确解读员工行为的比例明显更高（χ 2 = 8.65，p = 0.003）。与行为解释得分最低的自闭症参与者相比，行为解释得分最高的自闭症参与者的自我报告自闭症特质平均得分（M = 26.8）明显更高（M = 19.3，p 结论：本研究结果为支持自闭症患者的行为解释提供了证据：本研究的结果为支持 DEP 的证据做出了贡献，使自闭症社会功能的范式从缺陷模式转向解决自闭症/非自闭症社会互动中的相互误解。根据自闭症特质测量的行为解释能力，神经类型群体之间的研究结果模式表明，相互误解是神经学上不同社会文化的冲突。解决工作场所的 DEP 问题将有助于消除自闭症成人成功就业的障碍。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

ACS Catalysis CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL-

CiteScore

20.80

自引率

6.20%

发文量

1253

审稿时长

1.5 months

期刊介绍： ACS Catalysis is an esteemed journal that publishes original research in the fields of heterogeneous catalysis, molecular catalysis, and biocatalysis. It offers broad coverage across diverse areas such as life sciences, organometallics and synthesis, photochemistry and electrochemistry, drug discovery and synthesis, materials science, environmental protection, polymer discovery and synthesis, and energy and fuels. The scope of the journal is to showcase innovative work in various aspects of catalysis. This includes new reactions and novel synthetic approaches utilizing known catalysts, the discovery or modification of new catalysts, elucidation of catalytic mechanisms through cutting-edge investigations, practical enhancements of existing processes, as well as conceptual advances in the field. Contributions to ACS Catalysis can encompass both experimental and theoretical research focused on catalytic molecules, macromolecules, and materials that exhibit catalytic turnover.