Tag Archives: empathy

Rethinking Autism: The Evidence Behind Milton’s Double Empathy Theory

Milton’s Double Empathy Theory, developed by Damian Milton in 2012, challenges the traditional “empathy deficit” model of autism. Rather than seeing autistic individuals as lacking empathy, it argues that communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic people arise from a reciprocal empathy gap, where both groups struggle to understand each other’s perspectives due to differences in communication and social experience.

Continue reading

Understanding the Social Model of Disability in the Context of Neurodiversity

The social model of disability is a progressive and empowering framework that shifts the focus from an individual’s impairments to the systemic, societal, and environmental barriers that hinder their full participation. This model contrasts with the traditional medical model, which tends to define individuals by their conditions and frames their differences as problems to be fixed. For neurodiverse individuals, including those with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADHD, and conditions from the Dys family (dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, etc.), the social model offers a perspective that celebrates diversity and prioritizes inclusivity.

Continue reading