Decoding Facial Expressions: Challenges of Autism
A large part of communication are the nonverbal cues that people give. This includes body language and facial expressions.
A lot can be read through these nonverbal cues, such as what a person is really thinking or feeling. Decoding facial expressions, for instance, is important in understanding whether someone is being serious or sarcastic.
Unfortunately, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with nonverbal cues such as facial expressions. This is a big barrier to communication and social interaction — two things that people on the autism spectrum already struggle with.
There are ways that people with autism can learn to accurately interpret facial expressions and improve their communication skills overall. We’ll analyze why people with autism have trouble decoding facial expressions below, and some ways in which they can learn this skill.
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Why Do People with Autism Struggle with Facial Expressions?
There are a lot of factors that play a role in why people with autism struggle with facial expressions.
Those who are on the autism spectrum are often literal thinkers and communicators. This means that they typically struggle with jokes and slight nuances in speech and nonverbal cues that are so important to communication.
Instead of picking up on what a wink means, for instance, a person on the autism spectrum might miss out on the fact that another person is making a joke or being sarcastic. This inability in distinguishing facial expressions can create much bigger challenges in communication and interacting with other people.
Not being able to decode facial expressions can lead to frequent miscommunication and misunderstandings, and can make it difficult for people with autism to build and maintain meaningful relationships with other people.
Why Do Facial Expressions Matter?
When people aren’t able to properly interpret facial expressions, it can lead to many difficulties establishing long-term, meaningful relationships as well as with everyday social interactions.
Many miscommunications and misunderstandings can occur, which can be very frustrating to everyone who’s involved in the conversation.
At the same time, people with autism may exhibit different facial expressions than neurotypical people do. Their facial expressions, for instance, may not match what they’re actually thinking or what they’re trying to convey.
This can lead to even further complexities with their social interactions.
What are the Effects of Misunderstanding Facial Expressions?
Having trouble decoding facial expressions is no trivial matter. It can have a large negative impact on a person’s emotional understanding.
It’s especially difficult for people on the autism spectrum to decode facial expressions that communicate emotions such as negative surprise, sadness, fear, disgust and anger. When they aren’t able to interpret these, it can lead people to feel as though they aren’t being valued, understood or connected.
In turn, this can lead to people with autism feeling ostracized by other people, who may negatively react to them in the moment and then avoid them in the future. This is one reason why people with ASD commonly suffer from loneliness, anxiety and depression.
Can People Be Taught to Accurately Decode Facial Expressions?
The good news is that people with autism do have the ability to make significant strides in building the communication, social and daily life skills with which they commonly struggle. This includes accurately interpreting nonverbal cues such as facial expressions.
One of the most effective ways to do this is through applied behavioral analysis, which is also known as ABA therapy. This evidence- and science-based approach to learning and behavior uses positive reinforcement and repetition to teach people with ASD these skills over time.
Since all ABA therapy treatment plans are customized to each patient’s unique strengths and challenges, it is very effective at helping people progress toward stated goals.
ABA therapists help their patients understand what certain facial expressions mean and, over time, help them decode these facial expressions when they’re used as part of typical communication.
Blue Gems ABA Helps Children with Autism Grow
Nonverbal cues such as facial expressions are so vital to effective communication. Unfortunately, this is something that people with autism often struggle with.
At Blue Gems ABA, we have a team of experienced BCBAs who are dedicated to helping children on the autism spectrum build their skills in this area and more, so that they can live happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.
To learn more, please contact us today.
617-297-7998
617-340-3371
info@bluegemsaba.com
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