What is Social Communication Disorder?
Imagine you stumble upon a friend at the grocery store and the two of you start chatting. Assume that you’re both neurotypicals. Next, think about some of the elements that might go into having a smooth, successful interaction with your friend.
Greeting:
When two people run into each other, they typically say things like, “hello,” “good morning,” or “it’s great to see you.”
Nonverbal communication:
The two of you might smile and raise your eyebrows, expressing surprise at your fortuitous encounter. You might get closer, so you can hear each other better, but keep a socially appropriate distance for the conversation. You will probably make eye contact, and your facial expressions and gestures will match the topic of your conversation.
Volume, tone and speed:
If the grocery store is noisy, you might speak loudly enough so you can hear each other. Your tone will be influenced by the conversation topic, and the speed of your sentences will be appropriate—not too slow (you’re both running errands after all!) and not too fast (you want to be able to understand each other’s words).
Rules of conversation:
One of you might introduce a relevant topic (“How is your Aunt Sally doing after her surgery?). You will likely take turns listening and speaking. You will keep the conversation to a convenient length and transition smoothly into its conclusion, maybe promising to catch up later.
Social cognition:
As someone who can take the perspective of another person, you might think, “My friend must be worried about her aunt after last week’s surgery.” You will listen to your friend’s comments and match her emotions during the conversation.
Greeting:
When two people run into each other, they typically say things like, “hello,” “good morning,” or “it’s great to see you.”
Nonverbal communication:
The two of you might smile and raise your eyebrows, expressing surprise at your fortuitous encounter. You might get closer, so you can hear each other better, but keep a socially appropriate distance for the conversation. You will probably make eye contact, and your facial expressions and gestures will match the topic of your conversation.
Volume, tone and speed:
If the grocery store is noisy, you might speak loudly enough so you can hear each other. Your tone will be influenced by the conversation topic, and the speed of your sentences will be appropriate—not too slow (you’re both running errands after all!) and not too fast (you want to be able to understand each other’s words).
Rules of conversation:
One of you might introduce a relevant topic (“How is your Aunt Sally doing after her surgery?). You will likely take turns listening and speaking. You will keep the conversation to a convenient length and transition smoothly into its conclusion, maybe promising to catch up later.
Social cognition:
As someone who can take the perspective of another person, you might think, “My friend must be worried about her aunt after last week’s surgery.” You will listen to your friend’s comments and match her emotions during the conversation.
These are just a few of the things our brains must do when we’re communicating with others—and this list is by no means exhaustive. Many neurodiverse people, however, have difficulties using verbal and nonverbal language for social purposes. The term used for this neurological variation is social communication disorder (SCD).
What is
Social Communication?
Social communication is a multifaceted phenomenon that includes:
- Language processing (the ability to understand and use words)
- Social cognition (the ability to process information about others in social settings)
- Pragmatics (the use of language in different contexts)
- Social interaction
It is heavily influenced by cultural factors, so its rules can vary drastically among social groups, regions, and countries. These same rules are often reflective of the majority—or neurotypical—perspective, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that many neurodiverse individuals struggle with social communication.
Put simply, people with SCD have a hard time communicating in ways that are appropriate for particular social contexts. They might say the “wrong” thing or act in unusual ways because they don’t always understand the implicit rules of social communication. They often miss contextual clues, such as someone’s gestures and facial expressions, and might not understand language that is not literal, unambiguous, or direct.
Every individual with SCD is unique, and the condition manifests itself in different ways. Sometimes a person displays just a few, subtle symptoms—you might not even realize that he struggles with social communication. Other times, it could become clear early on that someone processes social communication very differently from you. Below, you will find some tell-tale signs:
- People with SCD might not adapt their language to the person with whom they are speaking. For example, they might use the same tone and word choices with a young child and an adult. They might also struggle with switching between formal and informal language.
- They might not adapt the information they are sharing to their listener, either providing too many details to someone who already knows the matter at hand or not enough information to a person who is not conversant with a particular subject.
- They might have difficulties using greetings and initiating conversations. Similarly, they might have a hard time introducing a topic, staying on topic, maintaining a conversation, repairing a conversation when there is a misunderstanding, or matching the feelings of the other person.
- They might not use appropriate volume, speed, tone, or maintain a socially acceptable distance when speaking with someone. They might speak with the same volume in the classroom as on the playground, for example.
- They might misunderstand comments that are ambiguous, indirect or not literal. Jokes and sarcasm can be tricky concepts for people with social communication disorder.
- Their expressions and gestures might not match their words.
- They might not be able to interpret your facial expressions and gestures and could miss important contextual information as a result. If you look at your watch, and politely say, “I can’t believe it’s dinner time already” to indicate that it’s time to wrap up a conversation, they might brush off your comment and continue talking.
Neurotypicals subconsciously know the “rules” of social communication and might get thrown off when someone with SCD inadvertently breaks them. We might unfairly assume the person is being rude or inconsiderate. We might even think he or she isn’t intellectually capable of understanding what we’re telling them—which often isn’t the case.
To have a successful interaction with people with SCD, keep in mind that they have a different way of processing verbal and nonverbal communication. Their difference doesn’t mean they are not capable of communicating effectively or understanding what you want to tell them. You might just need to adapt your language and try your best to view the situation from their perspective— much like neurodiverse individuals do when interacting with neurotypicals.
Conditions
What are some conditions that tend to co-occur with SCD?
Researchers believe that there might be a genetic component to SCD. Some of the risk factors include:
- ADHD
- other language disorders such as receptive or expressive language disorder
- learning disabilities
- developmental delays
- intellectual disability
- hearing loss
- traumatic brain injuries
- dementia
(Note: Autism shares several SCD traits but is its own separate diagnosis.)
What can we do to accommodate people with social communication disorder?
A little flexibility goes a long way when communicating with people with SCD. At times, your interactions might look and sound a little different than the ones you have with neurotypicals, but don’t let that deter you. You can still have a rich, meaningful conversation despite the initial communication barriers. Here are some tips to make the process easier:
- Keep language simple and direct. Double meanings or sarcasm might not be immediately understood and could cause confusion and anxiety.
- Allow for pauses between statements and questions so that your friend with SCD has time to process the information being discussed. Be patient and allow this conversation to move a little slower than you might be used to.
- Ask questions to make sure your friend understands what you’ve just said. Don’t move on to your next point until you know that you’re both on the same page. Sometimes, you will need to “overexplain” things that you think might be implicit or have been understood.
- If you need to have an important conversation with someone with SCD, look for an environment that is free of sensory distractions such as too much noise, bright lights or crowds. Many individuals with SCD have sensory processing challenges, and if you lessen their cognitive load by going to a more calming environment, they will focus on the conversation better.
- Practice active listening. Focus on what your friend is telling you, instead of thinking of a response while he’s still speaking. Try to minimize interruptions. Let him know that you’re paying attention by summarizing what he just said and, if needed, asking questions.
- Focus on the intended meaning of your friend’s message and not so much on how the message is delivered. When speaking, individuals with SCD might use different intonations, volume, and speed than you might expect. This could throw you off sometimes, so remember to pay attention to your friend’s words and basic intention.
- Don’t confuse linguistic output with how much a person understands. Many individuals with SCD can understand what is being communicated better than they can express it themselves. You don’t have to change the content of your conversation out of concern for their ability to understand it— you just might need to change its “packaging” by simplifying the communication and following some of the above suggestions.
Conclusion
Many neurodiverse individuals spend a lot of time and effort trying to understand the rules that govern social communication between neurotypicals. Often, these individuals struggle to override their instincts and express themselves in ways that neurotypicals might find “acceptable.” But we, neurotypicals, can also do our part to facilitate our social interactions with the neurodiverse. All it takes is flexibility—and some tweaks in the way we communicate.