Deliberate and Self-Conscious Adaptation of Eye-Contact by Autistic Adults.
Alison Garvey, Christian Ryan, Mike Murphy
PMID 38728003WHAT IT FOUND
Autistic adults describe eye-contact as a conscious, effortful task that competes with thinking and listening.
They often look away to process information or use strategies to appear 'normal', which they find exhausting. Diagnosis or feedback often triggered this self-awareness, leading to pressure to conform rather than natural change.
Key findings
01Participants reported that maintaining eye-contact during conversation depleted their cognitive capacity, making it difficult to think of what to say or listen effectively.
02Many participants used compensatory strategies, such as looking away or practicing eye-contact, to camouflage their atypical gaze and meet societal expectations.
03Increased awareness of eye-contact differences, often following diagnosis or feedback, led to internal pressure to conform rather than a natural ease in social interaction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=9) and excluded individuals with intellectual disability, limiting generalizability. Data collection occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic via video, which may have affected the naturalness of eye-contact and the researcher's ability to observe it. Some participants had limited capacity to introspect or articulate their experiences due to language difficulties. The study relies on self-report, which may be influenced by social desirability or recall bias.
Declared interests
The study was funded by University College Cork. No specific conflicts of interest were declared beyond the funding source.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the participants' ability to use strategies or 'practice' eye-contact as evidence that they can do so effortlessly or that it should be a mandatory goal. The study reports that these adaptations are cognitively and emotionally demanding, and often lead to pressure to conform rather than genuine social ease.