Autism and Perspective Taking
- taniaslt
- Sep 18
- 4 min read
Understanding other people’s thoughts, feelings, and intentions, often called perspective taking, is a vital part of how we connect and communicate with others. For many autistic children, young people, and adults, perspective taking can present specific challenges. These challenges do not stem from a lack of empathy or care but often reflect differences in how social information is processed.
What is Perspective Taking?
Perspective taking involves the ability to “step into someone else’s shoes." It means recognising that others may have thoughts, knowledge, emotions, or intentions that differ from our own. For instance, understanding that a friend might feel sad about losing a favourite toy, even if we do not share that same feeling, is a crucial part of social interaction.
Why is it Difficult for Some Autistic Individuals?
Research indicates that autistic people may struggle to infer what others are thinking or feeling, particularly when those emotions are subtle or not directly expressed. This difficulty is linked to several factors:
Literal Interpretation
Autistic individuals often focus on spoken words rather than implied meanings. For example, if someone says, "It's getting cold in here," an autistic individual might not grasp that this statement could imply a desire for someone to close a window or the heating turned up, even though they haven’t asked directly.
Managing both one’s own viewpoint and someone else's perspective can be cognitively demanding. This challenge may explain why a child might hesitate when asked how a peer feels about being left out of a game.
Sensory Demands
Busy or chaotic environments can create sensory overload, making it even harder to concentrate on social cues. For example, during a loud classroom discussion, an autistic student might miss subtle changes in a teacher's tone that indicate frustration or encouragement.
Everyday Impact
Difficulty with perspective taking can significantly impact friendships, classroom learning, and family dynamics. Here are some real-life examples:
A child struggles to understand how a peer might feel hurt after they interrupt a game, potentially damaging their friendship.
A young person finds it challenging to detect sarcasm from a teacher, which might lead to confusion and frustration.
An adult misinterprets a colleague’s facial expression during a meeting, resulting in an awkward response or conflict.
Statistic: Studies show that nearly 70% of autistic children report difficulties in understanding social cues, which can lead to miscommunications.
Strengths and Differences
It is equally important to recognize that autistic individuals often possess strong abilities in other areas. Many showcase exceptional attention to detail, remarkable memory skills, and creative thinking, which can lead to innovative outcomes. For instance, an autistic student might excel in math or science, leading to unique solutions to complex problems.
How to Support Children and Young People
Supporting autistic individuals in developing perspective-taking skills can yield positive results. Here are some practical strategies:
Use Visual Supports
Visual aids, such as social stories or comic strips, can help illustrate different perspectives and emotions. For example, a social story about a birthday party can show varying feelings about receiving gifts versus not receiving any, making these concepts more relatable. We love supporting young people to become a 'Social Detective' through the Social Thinking® approach to help young people explore clues and understand others’ thoughts, feelings, and responses.
Role-Playing
Engaging in role-playing can offer a safe environment to practice perspective taking. By acting out scenarios, individuals can explore how different people might feel. For instance, practicing a conversation about a missed opportunity can help someone consider how another might be affected.
Pause and reflect
Encourage checking in (“How do you think he feels right now?”).
Celebrate progress
Small steps, such as identifying when someone is happy, are important milestones.
Free Resource
To make this easier in practice, we have created a free visual resource available on our website. This tool is designed to guide parents, carers, and professionals in helping children and young people explore situations step by step and gain greater awareness of how others may think or feel. It can be used at home or in school as a practical support to build perspective taking skills in everyday life.
Supporting Adults with Perspective Taking
Autistic adults may face different challenges with perspective taking in workplaces, relationships, and community settings. Support should be collaborative, practical, and respectful of independence:
Make implied meaning explicit: Encourage clear, direct communication. Adults can also ask for clarification when needed.
Frameworks for reflection: Prompts such as “What do I know? What do they know? How might they feel?” can help.
Role-play real scenarios: Practise workplace conversations, feedback, or interpreting tone of voice in a safe environment.
Video modelling: Use films or online clips to pause and discuss what each character might be thinking or feeling.
Perspective journals: Encourage jotting down personal and observed perspectives after interactions.
Play to strengths: Use attention to detail and fairness as ways of exploring differing viewpoints.
Workplace adjustments: Written feedback, clear agendas, and buddy systems can reduce misunderstandings.
Therapeutic support: Speech and Language Therapy or adapted CBT can provide structured approaches to flexible thinking and perspective taking.
Final Thoughts
Understanding perspective taking is essential for fostering connections and communication among individuals, especially those on the autism spectrum. While challenges exist, recognizing the unique strengths and differences of autistic individuals can promote more inclusive environments. By implementing effective strategies, we can enhance perspective-taking skills, enriching the lives of autistic individuals and those around them.
By embracing these differences and providing tailored support, we can foster a more empathetic and understanding world for everyone.
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