How Are Eye Contact and Autism Related?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects a person’s social interaction, communication, and behavior. Lack of eye contact is one of the early signs of autism in children, and many articles mention differences in eye contact as one of the “red flags” for autism in young children.

Eye contact is commonly named as an early sign of autism

Making eye contact is a learned behavior. Babies do not innately know they should look at someone’s eyes, but as neurotypical children grow and develop, they learn from experience the value in looking at a person’s eyes, turning to look at someone when their name is called, and watching a person’s face for their facial expressions to give context to a situation.

Unlike neurotypical children, autistic children have not learned how to use eye contact as a method of social communication. They often do not look at others when they need something or when they want to share how they are feeling.

Also Read: Understanding the Differences Between Autism and Introversion

Eye Contact Differences in Autistic Adults

Many autistic adults I see in my practice appear to make “very good” eye contact; in fact, some of them have been previously evaluated by other psychologists or neuropsychologists and have been told that they cannot be autistic because they are making eye contact. Why is there such a disconnect between eye contact in autistic children and many autistic adults?

The simple answer is masking. Since it is a learned behavior, autistic adults (through trial and error, watching and imitating others, or therapy that stressed this as an important behavior) have learned that eye contact is important in neurotypical society.

Some adults have shared that they were punished for not looking when they were kids, or they learned that people who don’t make eye contact are lying, so they did not want to be perceived as being untruthful. Sometimes, in response to this learning, people start making very intense eye contact with others, which can be perceived as too much and can be uncomfortable.

Why Eye Contact Does Not Rule Out Autism?

Though on the surface, eye contact may not appear much different in autistic adults, for many people, the internal experience of eye contact can vary tremendously. For some, eye contact is something that needs to be constantly thought about, like an internal checklist of things to incorporate in social interactions.

For others, it can range from slightly uncomfortable to intensely uncomfortable, with some people feeling like it is way too intimate and exposing. For some autistic adults, masking is a very conscious, deliberate process, while for others, it is so internalized that it can be difficult to even recognize.

Also Read: Why Is It So Hard To Get An Adult Autism Diagnosis?

Comfortable with a diagnosis and focused on intentionally unmasking, may choose not to make eye contact. That is okay. Along these lines, there has been a shift in many providers that work with children to put less emphasis on eye contact. If we can recognize that eye contact is so difficult and uncomfortable for adults, how can that help inform how we work with children? It’s important to realize that when an autistic person is making eye contact, it is almost always to make neurotypical people around them feel more comfortable and blend in with neurotypical others.

Choosing Whether to Make Eye Contact

Some autistic people, especially those who have gotten more comfortable with a diagnosis and focused on intentionally unmasking, may choose not to make eye contact. That is okay. Along these lines, there has been a shift in many providers that work with children to put less emphasis on eye contact. If we can recognize that eye contact is so difficult and uncomfortable for adults, how can that help inform how we work with children?

Need Professional Support?

Dr. Jessica Myszak has had over 10 years of experience performing psychological evaluations with children and adults. She offers both in-person and telehealth evaluations. In addition to seeing clients on the Chicago North Shore, she can work with families who reside in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana,  Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington DC, West Virginia, and Wisconsin! If you are interested in learning more about potentially working with her, you can visit her website here to get the process started.