A new study reveals important nuances in how autistic and non-autistic people understand one another. Guided by the Double Empathy Problem theory, research suggests that communication difficulties are often mutual rather than stemming from a one-sided "empathy deficit," in autistic people. Using a novel empathy test based on real-life emotional stories, the researchers found that autistic participants were just as capable of understanding others' emotions, challenging long-held assumptions about autism and highlighting the importance of mutual understanding.

A research team led by Professor Hitoshi Yamamoto of Rissho University analyzed five years of longitudinal panel survey data collected between 2020 and 2024 and examined how vaccine-related conspiracy beliefs were associated with media skepticism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study's results appeared in Scientific Reports on August 8, 2026.