How relevant is eye contact to having AS?

Post Reply New Topic

Is lack of eye contact mandatory for a DX?

It seems everyone on here talks about their lack of eye contact, but I that has simply never been a problem for me. I don't relate at all. I do, however, stare too deeply. Is it one of those things that varies, or is it mandatory?

I don't think problems with eye contact are mandatory for a diagnosis, even though I'm not sure. From what I know (which isn't very much!) it can be included in the criteria as one of the things to look for when someone is diagnosing you, but I'm pretty sure a diagnosis can be made even if you have no problems with it. I think people with AS can learn these skills and how to make suitable eye contact, but it often doesn't come as naturally as it might to NTs.

So I think a diagnosis can be made even without problems with eye contact. And staring too deeply could well count as a difference with things such as eye contact- staring too deeply, staring at people, or refusing to look at them.

Issues with eye contact is very common among those on the spectrum; however, it is not mandatory. If you look at the dsm-iv: http://www.autreat.com/dsm4-aspergers.html, you will see that that is part of one criteria in a list of four (only two of the four are required for diagnosis):

(I) Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:
(A) marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body posture, and gestures to regulate social interaction
(B) failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
(C) a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interest or achievements with other people, (e.g.. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
(D) lack of social or emotional reciprocity

If you have two from that list then you MAY have Aspergers. If you do not have two from that list, then you don't.

I read a book about aspergers by Tony Attwood not too long ago and he said that he noticed people either struggled to make eye contact, or their gaze was very intense and often made people feel uncomfortable. I can't remember what it was called but it had a spiral shell on the front. It was the best information I've e er found on ASD and explained how people with a dx varied.

I too tend to stare a bit too much and sometimes notice people looking uncomfortable and try to relax my gaze a bit or look away. However I struggle with eye contact if someone talks for too long about something that doesn't interest me, and get distracted by my surroundings.

I have found it impossible to look anyone in the eyes as "normal" people do. However, I have found that I have the capacity to fixate my gaze upon objects of interest, and with a little mental effort I can stare at objects that don't interest me much. Because I have learned that many people think you are not being honest with them if you don't look them in the eyes when you are talking to them, I have learned to talk to people while staring at the bridge of their nose, thus creating the illusion that I am looking them in the eyes.

This took me literally years to figure out and master, but even this isn't a perfect solution. Because part of my brain has to focus on staring at a single object, I often lose track of what I am saying, sometimes in mid-sentence. Then I have to apologize for losing my train of thought.

I am currently working on effectively talking to a group of people by shifting my gaze from the bridge of one person's nose to another's, and I am meeting with limited success. Although I can do this with great effort, a much larger amount of my attention is diverted to the illusion, which makes me lose my train of thought much more often. For this reason I try to stay out of situations that require me to speak to groups of people at once. - LJS

I actually don't struggle with eye contact anymore, but I did when I was younger. The result was severe spankings for not "looking when spoken to."
Now that I got help, I'm slowly worming my way through the social world.

I think Eye contact has nothing to do with it. Being forced to have eye contact with someone feels unnatural. half the time I just feel it's used by the over-diagnosed to claim they have a problem. I think to be honest we don't do it that much. Eye contact really isn't important for a real conversation, but I wouldn't mind if someone did want eye contact, if they really wanted it...

...Whoah...

Well that settles it! For us eye contact is a purely romantic phenomenon. So when our standard counterparts are trying to give us eye contact we subconsciously think they are undressing us with their eyes!

For me, eye contact sometimes becomes impossible when trying to recall memories or explain situations. I can usually do eye contact just fine if I'm talking about an interest or something I feel I know alot about, but as soon as you ask me to remember what it was like diving off the highest diving board at the pool yesterday, or what groceries I brought home today from the market, I automatically duck my head and close my eyes before I can spew out the words.

Note that you can even meet this criteria and have normal eye contact - for example a person who makes eye contact, has very little facial expression and doesn't gesture would meet criteria A.

It's about as important as anything else - depending on location and luck of the draw assessments will differ, there will likely be a list of traits for the person doing the assessment/making the diagnosis to watch out for and tick-off so if you have X number of traits you may have AS - but eye contact alone is just one of many things they'd be looking at.

I'd actually guess that eye contact may be looked at less in AS adults because we learn to deal with and adjust, plus it may differ at certain points in our lives or if we're having bad days. Until I knew about AS I may not have been aware of my eye contact issues all the time, understood it in context or have been able to explain my issues with eye contact, I learned how to make eye contact; some days I can manage without thinking and people would tell me I make good eye contact, other days it's a different matter and people point out my issues with eye contact even if I'm not aware of there being a problem - it differs, thus eye contact alone cannot lead to conclusive diagnosis.

I am either looking intense into someone else's eyes or I don't look at all. It varies with me. I am much better now as an adult than what I was when I was younger. When I was little, I didn't make eye contact at all. My autism was classified as "moderate high functioning autism" but now I act more Asperger's. I actually socialize a lot, too much. The only people I talk on the phone is my 3 friends. Otherwise I fear the phone. When I am having more mental problems is when I can't look into another's eyes. When my pills are working I look too intense and stare. My facial expression is inappropriate. I always smile even as horrible things are happening in the world. The world could end and I would just smile and laugh. I have this annoying smile and laugh sometimes at nothing at all. When I am suicidal I laugh and smile and have a hard time crying. I have to force myself to cry at times so its almost like a fake crying. When I watch movies, however, I cry too much. Its weird but that's me. I can't live without talking to people. When I was young in the old days, I didn't care for friends and never talked to anyone. Now I talk to my friends almost every day. Sad to say I am always tired because of my pills. I wish so bad that I don't have to take my pills in the morning. I call them "sleeping pills" even though they are my anti psychotics.

Have you considered that you might be on the wrong meds?
If there's suicidal ideation in there... and all those other things...
Some meds have a contrary effect and/or heightened side effects. Maybe you should take a copy of your post with you next time you see a shrink and see if they want to adjust them.
----
Back on topic, I'll agree... degree of eye contact often depends on the day; it is not a mandatory factor in determining your autism-ness-ness

Not all aspies have difficulty with eye contact, but the vast majority of people who have difficulty with eye contact are probably autistic.

The meds help with my psychosis but just make me very tired. I am talking to my psychiatrist tomorrow about the extreme tiredness. At night it helps me sleep and one of the main side effects of the pills is drowsiness. I am not suicidal now, its just when I am I show the wrong emotions. I always look like I am happy but I think that is just the inappropriate emotions as a part of the autism.

My eye contact is pretty bad. Don't know if it is relevant for a dx but it's one of the things they look for, I've read on here.

Staring too deeply is a problem with eye contact.