‫الجمهورية الجزائرية الديمقراطية الشعبية‬

People's Democratic Republic of Algeria

‫وزارة التعليم العالي والبحث العلمي‬
Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
‫جامعة باجي مختار عنابة‬
University Badji Mokhtar-Annaba
‫كلية العلوم‬
Faculty of Sciences
‫قسم الكيمياء الحيوية‬
Department of Biochemistry
Presentation
Field: Nature and life sciences
Sector: Biological Sciences
Spécialité : Applied biochemistry

Communication Difficulties (Case Of Autistics)

-Presented by :
-Kouadria Racha
Directed by : Mm Benzaid Chahrazed

Academic year : 2020/2021

 Table of Figures :

Figure 1 : Triad of impairments………………………………………………………..............................7

Figure 2 : Autistic and non-autistic people can find it difficult to understand each other………………..9
 Table of Contents
Introduction :..........................................................................................................................................................1
I- Definition’s .........................................................................................................................................................2
I-1- Autism .........................................................................................................................................................2
I-2- Communication ..........................................................................................................................................2
Ⅱ- Difficulties with Social Communication of autistic And Common Communication traits..........................2
Ⅱ-1- Difficulty with Social Communication ....................................................................................................2
Ⅱ-2- Common Communication traits ..............................................................................................................3
Ⅱ-2-1-Non-Verbal Communication .............................................................................................................3
Ⅱ-2-2-Echolalia ..............................................................................................................................................4
Ⅱ-2-3- Focusing on the Literal Meanings of Words ...................................................................................4
Ⅱ-2-4-Moving From Topic to Topic .............................................................................................................4
Ⅱ-2-5- Speaking with no Eye Contact ..........................................................................................................4
Ⅲ-Communication Problems ..............................................................................................................................4
Ⅳ- Social Communication Differences (social interactions) ..............................................................................5
Ⅳ-1-Predicting and interpreting others’ behavior .........................................................................................5
Ⅳ-2-Receptive and Expressive Communication .............................................................................................5
Ⅳ-2-1-Receptive Communication ....................................................................................................................5
Ⅳ-2-2-Expressive Communication ..................................................................................................................6
V-Triad of impairments ........................................................................................................................................6
VI -THE DOUBLE EMPATHY PROBLEM ......................................................................................................8
VII-Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................................11
VIII-References ...................................................................................................................................................12
Introduction :

To communicate and to interact is of such central importance, not only in education but in everyday life,
that it will be apparent that, where a child or young person experiences significant difficulties in these
areas, it is essential that suitable educational provision is put in place to help ensure that the pupil makes
the best progress possible.( Michael , 2006). [1]
Communication problems have always been considered a core feature of autism. Yet there are substantial
and wide-ranging differences in how people with autism communicate. That reflects not only the inherent
variability of the condition, but also the complexity of communication itself encompassing the words we
use, the order in which we use them, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures and other nonverbal
cues.Challenges in any of these areas can contribute to the social difficulties individuals on the spectrum
experience. (Lydia ,2018) .[2]
That is the objective of this study is to acknowledge the communication difficulties which autistic
individual faces.

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I- Definition’s :

I-1- Autism :

Word autism meaning a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great
difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and
abstract concepts.
Autism is a lifelong disability.
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a collection of developmental disorders that are characterized
by impairments in social interaction and communication, as well as the presence of restricted and
repetitive behaviors and interests.it occurs primarily in males.
Autism impairs one’s ability to :
 Communicate
 Receptive Language
 Expressive Language
 Pragmatic or Social Language abilities
 Autism affects socialization. Autism affects the sensory system.
 Autism can impact cognitive skills where brain is wired differently.[3]

I-2- Communication :

Communication is a Latin word which means ‘to share’. It is the sharing of information between different
individuals. It includes the sharing of ideas, concepts, imaginations, behaviours and written content.
Communication is simply defined as the transfer of information from one place to another. This transfer of
information can be conducted in different ways.
Communication is a simple process, yet showing complexity in some aspects. Different ways of communication
and the distances over which one is required to transfer the information make the process complicated. .[4]

Ⅱ- Difficulties with Social Communication of autistic And Common

Communication traits:

Ⅱ-1- Difficulty with Social Communication :

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 People on the autism spectrum are just as likely as their typically developing peers to enjoy engaging
with others in activities that interest them.
Difficulties with social communication are however a diagnostic criterion for autism and they present
in a spectrum of ways. Some people on the autism spectrum may seek social opportunities and may
initiate social interactions themselves, others may enjoy social situations and interactions when they are
initiated effectively by others. Many have a genuine desire for friendship but may find the process of
making and sustaining friendships difficult.
A person on the autism spectrum may display a number of social communication differences. It is
important to remember that not every item on the following list applies to all. They may:
 Not respond, or may take longer to respond, to verbal communication by other people
 Find eye contact uncomfortable
 Rarely use nonverbal gestures to communicate (for example, nodding their head or gesturing with
their hands)
 Not take social cues from other people’s actions (for example lining up in a queue, stop talking
when the teacher enters the room). People on the autism spectrum may need these “hidden” social
rules to be explicitly taught
 Echo words they hear – they may repeat patterns of words without attaching any apparent meaning
to them. They may be exceptional at mimicry and use this effectively to fit in socially.
 Have difficulty effectively communicating their own wants and needs. This often leads to
frustration.
 Display a reduced tendency to share their interests with others, or the sharing is unequal (for
example, the person may talk excessively about their own interests without referencing to see if the
other person is interested). .[5]

Ⅱ-2- Common Communication traits :

Even verbally fluent individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have unique methods of
communication.
below, we’ve compiled five of the most common ways individuals with autism communicate:

Ⅱ-2-1-Non-Verbal Communication :

Many people affected by ASD develop little in the way of language skills, relying instead on non-
verbal communication techniques. These include a wide range of behaviors, such as using:
 Gestures
 Pictures or drawings
 Crying and other emotive sounds
 Physically directing someone’s hand to an object they want

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Ⅱ-2-2-Echolalia :

Echolalia refers to the repetition of phrases that people have heard, perhaps in a favorite movie or
television program. These phrases may or may not “fit” the context in which they are spoken, however,
they typically do point to something concrete.

Ⅱ-2-3- Focusing on the Literal Meanings of Words :

Individuals with some form of ASD typically have trouble understanding idiomatic language and
metaphors. Another implication of this trait is a difficulty understanding jokes and humor, which often
rely on a sarcastic tone to convey the speaker’s true meaning. A hallmark of the ways individuals with
autism communicate is focusing on the “key words” of a sentence.
Ⅱ-2-4-Moving From Topic to Topic :

One difficulty individuals with autism find with communication is the ability to “stay on topic.”
Because their minds are moving very quickly and processing many stimuli, their thoughts may seem
disorganized or unfocused. However, this usually isn’t the case–unless an ASD individual has expressed
the desire to stop talking about a given topic (in which case, you should definitely move on), they’re
usually open to revisiting previous conversation topics.
Ⅱ-2-5- Speaking with no Eye Contact :

The last tool we’ll look at in ways individuals with autism communicate is the fact that often they will
speak with you, but will not make eye contact. People affected by this condition are highly attuned to
sensory details, and looking into someone’s eyes can cause an overload of information. Some may
prefer to speak with their eyes shut entirely, so as to focus only on the stimuli provided by the
conversation. Understanding and accommodating this variety of communication is key to building better
communication with ASD individuals. .[6]

Ⅲ-Communication Problems :

Verbal skills are only one aspect of effective communication. Body language such as hand gestures,
body stance, and making eye contact conveys to others whether someone is joking or being serious, for
example, or angry or happy.
All of the skills involved with social communication presuppose an understanding of complex social
expectations, coupled with an ability to self-modulate based on that understanding. People with autism
commonly lack those abilities. Sometimes people with high-functioning autism find themselves

4
frustrated when their attempts to communicate are met with blank stares or laughter; they may also be
mistaken as rude. This is due to:
 A lack of understanding of physical gestures: Children with ASD are often unable to give
meaning to what they're saying through gestures, such as pointing to an object or using a facial
expression.
 An inability to use the right type of speech at the right time: Communicating also requires an
understanding of which type of speech is appropriate in a particular situation (known as pragmatic
speech). For example, using a loud voice at a funeral can be interpreted as disrespectful, while very
formal speech at school can be read as "nerdy." Using the appropriate type of speech involves an
understanding of idioms, slang, and an ability to modulate tone, volume, and prosody (ups and
downs of the voice).
 Difficulty making eye contact
 The inability to take another's perspective. This inability to put your self in someone else's shoes is
often referred to as lack of "theory of mind." .[7]

Ⅳ- Social Communication Differences (social interactions) :

There are two particular social communication differences experienced by many people on the autism
spectrum which provide insight into why social interactions are often challenging: predicting and
interpreting others’ behaviour, and receptive and expressive communication differences.

Ⅳ-1-Predicting and interpreting others’ behavior :

Theory of mind refers to the understanding that other people have different thoughts, desires and
needs to you. It involves being able to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes”. Delayed development of
theory of mind may impact on a person’s social interactions. He/she may have difficulty predicting and
interpreting the behaviours of others and may also have trouble understanding the effects of their own
behaviour on the people around them.
Individuals on the autism spectrum often have difficulty recognising and understanding social cues
and therefore do not instinctively learn to adjust their behaviour to suit different social contexts.
People with autism may well have the potential to learn these skills however. .[8]

Ⅳ-2-Receptive and Expressive Communication :

Communication differences in autism can be divided into two different domains: receptive
communication and expressive communication..

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 Ⅳ-2-1-Receptive Communication :
Receptive communication refers to the ability to understand the communicative attempts of others.
This involves the ability to make sense of spoken language, body language, facial expressions and tone
of voice. People on the autism spectrum may have difficulties in this area of communication.
Individuals with autism often understand language literally and have difficulty with understanding and
using the natural rhythm in conversation. This can lead to frequent misunderstandings.
It is helpful when communicating with a person on the autism spectrum to be aware of their likely
tendency towards concrete thinking. They may interpret language very literally and therefore have
difficulties understanding figures of speech and metaphors. For example, when discussing the changes
inherent in puberty, The Raising Children’s Network notes: “If you describe your son’s voice as
‘breaking’, your child might find this worrying. Instead you could say something like, ‘Your voice is
changing and will get deeper’.

Ⅳ-2-2-Expressive Communication :
People on the autism spectrum may also show differences in their expressive communication or using
language and non-verbal behaviours to communicate a message or make themselves understood.
They may show a variety of expressive communication differences. Some may experience ongoing
significant delays in obtaining language; others may have a well-developed vocabulary but may use
language in idiosyncratic ways.
Eye contact is another component of expressive communication. Some people on the autism spectrum
may find maintaining eye contact uncomfortable, even painful, and may therefore unintentionally appear
disinterested or rude. .[9]

V-Triad of impairments :

Despite individual variation in symptoms, ASDs are usually considered to involve a three-way pattern
of impairment originally described by
the psychiatrist Lorna Wing (Wing and
Gould, 1979).
This so-called triad (Fig.1) consists of
impairments in :
 reciprocal social interaction
 reciprocal communication
 scope and range of interests and
activities

6
 Figure 1 : Triad of impairments. (Web 1)
Key symptoms in the three areas of the triad include the following :

impaired social interaction

 may not spontaneously share interest or enjoyment
 may not make friends with peers
 absent or unusual eye contact
 absent or unusual gestures and facial expressions
 often appears to be unresponsive

impaired communication
 typically does not initiate conversation
 finds difficulty sustaining a conversation
 impoverished language development
 delayed language development
 unusual language
 repetitive language
 does not engage in make-believe or pretend play

restricted interests and activities

 often pre-occupied with narrow interests
 follows rigid routines
 fascination with parts of objects (e.g. light switches, wheels)
 unusual or repetitive gestures
 unusual or repetitive actions

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non-triad skills
The central triangle of (Fig. 1) refers to so-called non-triad skills that may accompany the impairments.
People with autism may be skilled in some non-social domains such as drawing, playing an instrument,
math, and so on. .[10]

VI -THE DOUBLE EMPATHY PROBLEM :

Can you tell when somebody is bored or frustrated or upset with you, even when they do not say so?
People often communicate information about themselves without even saying a word.
The expressions on their faces or the ways they are acting can be big clues to what they might be
feeling or thinking. Being autistic is considered clinically to be a medical condition, but is also a source
of social identity. Being autistic affects how someone makes sense of the world. Some autistic people
can find it hard to communicate with other people, and might have difficulty making friends and fitting
in. Autistic people might find changes difficult and might experience sounds, smells, and other senses
differently.
Some autistic people might move in a certain way (like twirling) or do the same thing repeatedly
(like opening and closing doors). People are born autistic and remain so their whole lives. Some autistic
people need only a little support, while others need a lot of help with learning and everyday activities.
affects how people make sense of the world around them, and some autistic people can find it hard to
communicate. For a long time, research has shown that autistic people can have trouble figuring out
what non-autistic people are thinking and feeling, and this can make it difficult for them to make friends
or to fit in. But recently, studies have shown that the problem goes both ways: people who are not
autistic also have trouble figuring out what autistic people are thinking and feeling! It is not just autistic
people who struggle.
A theory An explanation for how things work and why they happen. Scientists develop theories
based on observations of the world and then test these theories using research studies. that helps to
describe what happens when autistic and non-autistic people struggle to understand each other is called
the double empathy problem A theory that helps to describe what happens when autistic and non-
autistic people struggle to understand each other. (Fig.2).

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 Figure 2 : Autistic and non-autistic people can find it difficult to understand each other.(Web 2)

Empathy The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. is defined as the ability
to understand or be aware of the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of others.
According to the double empathy problem, empathy is a two-way process that depends a lot on our
ways of doing things and our expectations from previous social experiences, which can be very different
for autistic and non-autistic people.
These differences can lead to a breakdown in communication that can be distressing for both
autistic and non-autistic people. It might sometimes be difficult for non-autistic parents to understand
what their autistic child is feeling, or autistic people might feel frustrated when they cannot effectively
communicate their thoughts and feelings to others.
In this way, communication barriers between autistic and non-autistic people can make it more
difficult for them to connect, share experiences, and empathize with one another.
The fact that both people in the interaction have trouble with understanding is why the theory is
called the double empathy problem.
Let us look at the example of “reading between the lines.” This is when you understand something
that someone means, even when they have not said it with words. For example, your friend might say
that his day has been okay, but sigh and seem a bit grumpy or sad. Reading between the lines, you might
guess that your friend’s day has not been okay at all. Autistic people might struggle to read between the
lines of what non-autistic people are saying, because this way of communicating does not come easily to
autistic people.

9
 On the other hand, non-autistic people might make incorrect assumptions about autistic people
because they are reading between the lines too much.
Autistic people can find it exhausting and confusing to understand non-autistic ways of
communicating. Likewise, non-autistic people might feel uncomfortable when they are around autistic
people because their usual ways of communicating do not work as well.
This mismatch between social expectations and experiences can make communication between
autistic and non-autistic people difficult. That is why building understanding and empathy is described
as a “double problem,” because both autistic and non-autistic people struggle to understand each other.
(Catherine and al.,2021).[11]

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 VII-Conclusion:

Communication in our world is very important without it we wouldn’t be able able to understand
each other.
As we have seen that the autistic individual has his own unique style of socialization which makes it
difficult for non-autistic people to understand them,In this way,communication barriers between autistic
and non-autistic people can make it more difficult for them to connect, share experiences, and empathize
with one another.
knowing the way that they communicate and undrstanting how do they adapt with the society makes
it easier to overcome their difficulties with the help of their beloved people.

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VIII-References :

[1]- Michael , F.(2006).The Effective Teacher’s Guide to Autism and Communication Difficulties. 2nd ed. USA
and Canada: Routledge

[2]-Lydia , D.(2018). Social communication in autism,explained.

[3]- Communication problems and intervention for children with autism
(https://www.slideshare.net/fouziasaleemi1/communication-problems-and-intervention-for-children-with-autism)
(Accessed 11 january 2022).

[4]-Defenition of comminucation. (https://entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk/what-is-communication/).(Accessed 7

january 2022).
[5]-[8]-[9] -Social Communication , Predicting and interpreting others’ behavior , Receptive and expressive
communication . (https://www.autismtas.org.au/about-autism/key-areas-of-difference/social-communication-
differences/). (Accessed 8 january 2022).

[6]-Common Communication traits. (https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/lists/5-ways-individuals-

with-autism-communicate/).(Accessed 8 january 2022).
[7]- Communication Problems .( https://www.verywellhealth.com/speech-vs-communication-260566).(Accessed
8 january 2022).

[10]- Triad of impairments. (https://www.sltinfo.com/autism/) .(Accessed 10 january 2022).

[11]- CatherineJ , C ., Kilee , D., Brett ,H ., Damian , M ., Noah J,S .(2021). Double Empathy: Why Autistic
People Are Often Misunderstood.

Web :
Web N°
Liens

1 (https://www.sltinfo.com/autism/).(Accessed 10 january 2022).

2 (https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2021.554875) .(Accessed 11 january 2022).

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