While I could not find a post from you on the other site specific to research, the information on that site, in this post: http://www.autismandempathy.com/?p=1108 describes the research on Alexithymia, the deficits in affective empathy, and the association co-morbid with Autism Spectrum Disorders in more detail. I used that reference from your site to explain to the other source that your site could not possibly be suggesting that individuals with ASD’s do not experience trouble with empathy, as that post provided evidence some clearly do because of associated problems with Alexithymia, along with the very high prevalence of that co-morbid at 85% of individuals on the spectrum.

The source insisted I was reading the research incorrectly, and I explained I left a comment for you to provide my reading of the research. I was hoping you might provide a direct clarification of your viewpoint to clarify any misinformation that might continue to be propagated by the other source, as that source ascribes high value to your site as a reference point.

I enjoyed reading all the posts on your autismandempathy site and found them very informative. I’m sure that many people appreciate the time and effort you have taken to dispel the stereotype that all people on the spectrum lack empathy, as the information you provide does a thorough job of debunking that universal stereotype that has been provided by some.

My comment was intended to emphasize the issue associated with Alexithymia, Autism, and Empathy, in case others were directed to your site by the same source that directed me to it. I apologize as I can see where it could be read as a disagreement with your research rather than an amplification of the information provided in the sources cited in your research paper, and from the post on the Autismandempathy site, I linked above.

Sorry, I took so long to respond back, I just noticed you posted my comment today.

People are always welcome to come here and disagree civilly about anything I write, but it’s really impossible to have a conversation about the content of my writing when the critique is about things I’ve never said. If Karla adduced my writing as evidence for conclusions I don’t share, please have a conversation with her about why she came to those conclusions and why she feels that my writing supports them.

It is important to note that the research above done in 2010, that actually measures the response of the brain, per empathy associated with the pain of other individuals, reflects an association of Alexithymia and difficulties among people on the spectrum identified with that co-morbid condition, but not for those identified on the spectrum without that co-morbid condition. That might not be a significant issue for people on the spectrum if Alexithymia was not evidenced as co-morbid among 85% of individuals on the spectrum.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexithymia

As a person on the spectrum that experiences extreme empathy, I think it is important for the general public to understand that significant problems with empathy are not an issue that all people on the spectrum have difficulties with, but on the other hand it is not fair to those on the spectrum with these difficulties, whether or not they are caused by Alexithymia co-morbid with 85% of ASD’s, to discount the problem that exist among some people on the spectrum, as some do identify the issue and some worry over the fact that this already sets them apart from others; it does them no good to hear that people on the spectrum do not share this issue as well, when in real life some do.

Alexithymia may actually be a defense mechanism for some that at one time could not deal with the extreme response of empathy, but the difficulties in sharing the feelings of others and expressing empathy that result, are just as real no matter what the cause of the difficulties are. It’s not as simple as suggesting that all people on the spectrum have extreme empathy, as it is a diverse spectrum, with diverse expressions of gifts and challenges.

Here are some of those voices that deserve to be heard in context with this issue, for a more diverse analysis in respect of the difficulties that do exist associated with empathy among some individuals on the spectrum, as it is not likely that they would feel comfortable enough to come here and express those difficulties. While it is definitely a problem that a stereotype exists among some that everyone on the spectrum lacks empathy, it would not be accurate to suggest that a significant number of individuals on the spectrum do not lack difficulties sharing and expressing empathy with other people.

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt204663.html