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Add entry in the Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders as academic description of the double empathy problem
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Milton's interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed as autistic in 2005 at two years old. Milton himself was diagnosed with [[Asperger syndrome]] in 2009 at the age of 36.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=|page=13}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Dr Damian Milton |url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/transform-autism-education/project-team/damian-milton.aspx |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Transform Autism Education}}</ref>
Milton's interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed as autistic in 2005 at two years old. Milton himself was diagnosed with [[Asperger syndrome]] in 2009 at the age of 36.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|pages=|page=13}}<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Dr Damian Milton |url=https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/generic/transform-autism-education/project-team/damian-milton.aspx |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Transform Autism Education}}</ref>


Milton is best known for his "[[double empathy problem]]" theory first published in 2012,<ref name="DisSoc">{{Cite journal |last=Milton |first=Damian E.M. |date=1 October 2012 |title=On the ontological status of autism: the 'double empathy problem' |url=https://kar.kent.ac.uk/62639/1/Double%20empathy%20problem.pdf |journal=Disability & Society |volume=27 |issue=6 |pages=883–887 |doi=10.1080/09687599.2012.710008 |s2cid=54047060 |via=Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent)}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Rozsa |first=Matthew |date=6 June 2021 |title=Being autistic may amount to a language difference — not an impairment |url=https://www.salon.com/2021/06/06/being-autistic-may-amount-to-a-language-difference-not-an-impairment/ |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> which is the idea that, contrary to previous studies in the 20th century had concluded, autistic people do not lack [[theory of mind]] but rather that autistic and non-autistic ([[neurotypical]]) people struggle with bidirectional theory of mind and communication towards one another.<ref name="ToM">{{Cite journal |last=Askham |first=Angie Voyles |date=2022-04-08 |title=‘Theory of mind’ in autism: A research field reborn |url=https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/theory-of-mind-in-autism-a-research-field-reborn/ |journal=Spectrum |publisher=[[Simons Foundation]] |doi=10.53053/GXNC7576}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Zamzow |first=Rachel |date=2021-07-22 |title=Double empathy, explained |url=https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/double-empathy-explained/ |journal=Spectrum |publisher=[[Simons Foundation]] |doi=10.53053/MMNL2849}}</ref> While the concept had existed in earlier discourse, dating back to arguments voiced by activists like [[Jim Sinclair (activist)|Jim Sinclair]] since the 1990s, Milton named and significantly expanded on it.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=10}}<ref name=":4" />
Milton is best known for his "[[double empathy problem]]" theory first published in 2012,<ref name="DisSoc">{{Cite journal |last=Milton |first=Damian E.M. |date=1 October 2012 |title=On the ontological status of autism: the 'double empathy problem' |url=https://kar.kent.ac.uk/62639/1/Double%20empathy%20problem.pdf |journal=Disability & Society |volume=27 |issue=6 |pages=883–887 |doi=10.1080/09687599.2012.710008 |s2cid=54047060 |via=Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent)}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Rozsa |first=Matthew |date=6 June 2021 |title=Being autistic may amount to a language difference — not an impairment |url=https://www.salon.com/2021/06/06/being-autistic-may-amount-to-a-language-difference-not-an-impairment/ |access-date=4 August 2022 |website=Salon |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> which is the idea that, contrary to previous studies in the 20th century had concluded, autistic people do not lack [[theory of mind]] but rather that autistic and non-autistic ([[neurotypical]]) people struggle with bidirectional theory of mind and communication towards one another.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Milton |first=Damian Elgin Maclean |title=Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders |last2=Heasman |first2=Brett |last3=Sheppard |first3=Elizabeth |date= |work= |publisher=Springer |year=2020 |isbn=978-1-4614-6435-8 |editor-last=Volkmar |editor-first=Fred R. |editor-link=Fred Volkmar |place=New York, NY |pages= |chapter=Double Empathy |doi=10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102273-2}}</ref><ref name="ToM">{{Cite journal |last=Askham |first=Angie Voyles |date=2022-04-08 |title=‘Theory of mind’ in autism: A research field reborn |url=https://www.spectrumnews.org/features/deep-dive/theory-of-mind-in-autism-a-research-field-reborn/ |journal=Spectrum |publisher=[[Simons Foundation]] |doi=10.53053/GXNC7576}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last=Zamzow |first=Rachel |date=2021-07-22 |title=Double empathy, explained |url=https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/double-empathy-explained/ |journal=Spectrum |publisher=[[Simons Foundation]] |doi=10.53053/MMNL2849}}</ref> While the concept had existed in earlier discourse, dating back to arguments voiced by activists like [[Jim Sinclair (activist)|Jim Sinclair]] since the 1990s, Milton named and significantly expanded on it.<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=10}}<ref name=":4" />


Milton has co-authored over 250 publications<ref name="Kent-about" /> related to autism. His work is influenced by the [[social model of disability]],<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=10–12}}<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Love |first=Shayla |date=2022-03-29 |title=What Does Neurodiversity Even Mean? |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dnzm/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-weird-brain-in-the-age-of-neurodiversity |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=[[Motherboard (website)|Motherboard]] |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |language=en}}</ref> and many of his publications deconstruct and critically analyse past theories. One of his theories is that self-stimulatory behavior ([[stimming]]) helps autistic people to create [[Flow (psychology)|flow states]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite book |author=Damian Milton |editor=Glenys Jones and Elizabeth Hurley |year=2014 |title=Good Autism Practice: autism, happiness and wellbeing |publisher=BILD |location=Birmingham, UK |isbn=978-1-905218-35-6 |chapter=Going with the flow: reconsidering 'repetitive behaviour' through the concept of 'flow states' |pages=38–47 |language=en |url=|accessdate=}}</ref> His work has been favourably received by the academic<ref name="ToM" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Woods |first1=Richard |last2=Waltz |first2=Mitzi |date=21 June 2019 |title=The strength of autistic expertise and its implications for autism knowledge production: A response to Damian Milton |url=https://shura.shu.ac.uk/24752/1/Woods_StrengthofAutistic%28AM%29.pdf |journal=Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies |volume=1 |issue=6 |access-date=2023-05-11 |via=Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive}}</ref> as well as the [[Societal and cultural aspects of autism|autistic community]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-12-17 |title=Milton’s ‘double empathy problem’: A summary for non-academics |url=https://reframingautism.org.au/miltons-double-empathy-problem-a-summary-for-non-academics/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |publisher=Reframing Autism |language=en-AU}}</ref>
Milton has co-authored over 250 publications<ref name="Kent-about" /> related to autism. His work is influenced by the [[social model of disability]],<ref name=":1" />{{Rp|page=|pages=10–12}}<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Love |first=Shayla |date=2022-03-29 |title=What Does Neurodiversity Even Mean? |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dnzm/what-does-it-mean-to-have-a-weird-brain-in-the-age-of-neurodiversity |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=[[Motherboard (website)|Motherboard]] |publisher=[[Vice Media]] |language=en}}</ref> and many of his publications deconstruct and critically analyse past theories. One of his theories is that self-stimulatory behavior ([[stimming]]) helps autistic people to create [[Flow (psychology)|flow states]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite book |author=Damian Milton |editor=Glenys Jones and Elizabeth Hurley |year=2014 |title=Good Autism Practice: autism, happiness and wellbeing |publisher=BILD |location=Birmingham, UK |isbn=978-1-905218-35-6 |chapter=Going with the flow: reconsidering 'repetitive behaviour' through the concept of 'flow states' |pages=38–47 |language=en |url=|accessdate=}}</ref> His work has been favourably received by the academic<ref name="ToM" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Woods |first1=Richard |last2=Waltz |first2=Mitzi |date=21 June 2019 |title=The strength of autistic expertise and its implications for autism knowledge production: A response to Damian Milton |url=https://shura.shu.ac.uk/24752/1/Woods_StrengthofAutistic%28AM%29.pdf |journal=Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies |volume=1 |issue=6 |access-date=2023-05-11 |via=Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive}}</ref> as well as the [[Societal and cultural aspects of autism|autistic community]].<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-12-17 |title=Milton’s ‘double empathy problem’: A summary for non-academics |url=https://reframingautism.org.au/miltons-double-empathy-problem-a-summary-for-non-academics/ |access-date=2023-05-11 |publisher=Reframing Autism |language=en-AU}}</ref>

Revision as of 15:02, 11 May 2023

Damian Milton
BornAugust 1973 (age 51)
CitizenshipBritish
Alma mater
Known forAutism research, double empathy problem
Scientific career
Fields
InstitutionsUniversity of Kent
ThesisEducational Discourse and the Autistic Student: A Study Using Q-sort Methodology (2015)

Damian Elgin Maclean Milton (born August 1973)[1] is a British sociologist and social psychologist who specialises in autism research, and an advocate in the autism rights movement. He is a lecturer at the University of Kent as well as a consultant for the United Kingdom's National Autistic Society and has academic qualifications in sociology, psychology, philosophy, and education.[2][3]: 13 

Milton's interest in autism began when his son was diagnosed as autistic in 2005 at two years old. Milton himself was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome in 2009 at the age of 36.[3]: 13 [4]

Milton is best known for his "double empathy problem" theory first published in 2012,[5][6][7] which is the idea that, contrary to previous studies in the 20th century had concluded, autistic people do not lack theory of mind but rather that autistic and non-autistic (neurotypical) people struggle with bidirectional theory of mind and communication towards one another.[8][9][10] While the concept had existed in earlier discourse, dating back to arguments voiced by activists like Jim Sinclair since the 1990s, Milton named and significantly expanded on it.[3]: 10 [10]

Milton has co-authored over 250 publications[2] related to autism. His work is influenced by the social model of disability,[3]: 10–12 [7] and many of his publications deconstruct and critically analyse past theories. One of his theories is that self-stimulatory behavior (stimming) helps autistic people to create flow states.[11] His work has been favourably received by the academic[9][10][12] as well as the autistic community.[6][13]

He has spoken out against the Spectrum 10 project, questioning whether it truly was contributing to the well-being of autistic people.[14]

Selected works

Journal articles

  • 2012: On the ontological status of autism: the 'double empathy problem'[5]
  • 2012: The normalisation agenda and the psycho-emotional disablement of autistic people[15]
  • 2013: Autistics speak but are they heard?[16]
  • 2014: Autistic expertise: A critical reflection on the production of knowledge in autism studies[17]
  • 2016: How is a sense of well-being and belonging constructed in the accounts of autistic adults?[18]
  • 2018: Making the future together: Shaping autism research through meaningful participation[19]
  • 2018: Redefining Critical Autism Studies: a more inclusive interpretation[20]

Books

  • Milton, Damian; Ridout, Susy; Martin, Nicola; Mills, Richard; Murray, Dinah (2020). The Neurodiversity Reader: Exploring Concepts, Lived Experience and Implications for Practice. Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex: Pavilion Publishing and Media Limited. ISBN 978-1-914010-94-1. OCLC 1294123540.
  • Milton, Damian (2017). A Mismatch of Salience: Explorations from the Nature of Autism from Theory to Practice. Hove, East Sussex. ISBN 978-1-911028-76-5. OCLC 1019482019.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

References

  1. ^ "Damian Elgin Maclean MILTON personal appointments". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Companies House. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Dr Damian Milton - Senior Lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities". University of Kent. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Milton, Damian (2012). "So what exactly is autism?" (PDF). Autism Education Trust. Retrieved 11 May 2023 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  4. ^ "Dr Damian Milton". Transform Autism Education. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. ^ a b Milton, Damian E.M. (1 October 2012). "On the ontological status of autism: the 'double empathy problem'" (PDF). Disability & Society. 27 (6): 883–887. doi:10.1080/09687599.2012.710008. S2CID 54047060 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  6. ^ a b Rozsa, Matthew (6 June 2021). "Being autistic may amount to a language difference — not an impairment". Salon. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  7. ^ a b Love, Shayla (29 March 2022). "What Does Neurodiversity Even Mean?". Motherboard. Vice Media. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  8. ^ Milton, Damian Elgin Maclean; Heasman, Brett; Sheppard, Elizabeth (2020). "Double Empathy". In Volkmar, Fred R. (ed.). Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. New York, NY: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102273-2. ISBN 978-1-4614-6435-8.
  9. ^ a b Askham, Angie Voyles (8 April 2022). "'Theory of mind' in autism: A research field reborn". Spectrum. Simons Foundation. doi:10.53053/GXNC7576.
  10. ^ a b c Zamzow, Rachel (22 July 2021). "Double empathy, explained". Spectrum. Simons Foundation. doi:10.53053/MMNL2849.
  11. ^ Damian Milton (2014). "Going with the flow: reconsidering 'repetitive behaviour' through the concept of 'flow states'". In Glenys Jones and Elizabeth Hurley (ed.). Good Autism Practice: autism, happiness and wellbeing. Birmingham, UK: BILD. pp. 38–47. ISBN 978-1-905218-35-6.
  12. ^ Woods, Richard; Waltz, Mitzi (21 June 2019). "The strength of autistic expertise and its implications for autism knowledge production: A response to Damian Milton" (PDF). Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies. 1 (6). Retrieved 11 May 2023 – via Sheffield Hallam University Research Archive.
  13. ^ "Milton's 'double empathy problem': A summary for non-academics". Reframing Autism. 17 December 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  14. ^ Askham, Angie Voyles; Dattaro, Laura (18 October 2021). "Backlash from autistic community pauses research, exposes communication gaps". Spectrum. Simons Foundation. doi:10.53053/ZQIJ5133.
  15. ^ Milton, Damian; Moon, Lyte (2012). "The normalisation agenda and the psycho-emotional disablement of autistic people" (PDF). Autonomy, the Critical Journal of Interdisciplinary Autism Studies. 1 (1): 1–12 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  16. ^ Milton, Damian; Bracher, Mike (June 2013). "Autistics speak but are they heard?" (PDF). Medical Sociology online. 7 (2): 61–69 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  17. ^ Milton, Damian EM (17 March 2014). "Autistic expertise: A critical reflection on the production of knowledge in autism studies" (PDF). Autism. 18 (7): 794–802. doi:10.1177/1362361314525281. PMID 24637428. S2CID 206715678 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  18. ^ Milton, Damian; Sims, Tara (20 April 2016). "How is a sense of well-being and belonging constructed in the accounts of autistic adults?" (PDF). Disability & Society. 31 (4): 520–534. doi:10.1080/09687599.2016.1186529. S2CID 148279014 – via Kent Academic Repository (University of Kent).
  19. ^ Fletcher-Watson, Sue; Adams, Jon; Brook, Kabie; Charman, Tony; Crane, Laura; Cusack, James; Leekam, Susan; Milton, Damian; Parr, Jeremy R; Pellicano, Elizabeth (2018). "Making the future together: Shaping autism research through meaningful participation". Autism. 23 (4): 943–953. doi:10.1177/1362361318786721. PMC 6512245. PMID 30095277.
  20. ^ Woods, Richard; Milton, Damian; Arnold, Larry; Graby, Steve (3 July 2018). "Redefining Critical Autism Studies: a more inclusive interpretation". Disability & Society. 33 (6): 974–979. doi:10.1080/09687599.2018.1454380. S2CID 150275912.