Table 1. How do people with ASD experience eye contact?
| Main Themes | Sub-themes | Number of Meaning Units | Percentage of Total Meaning Units from Research Question #1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adverse Reactions | Fear/Anxiety | 16 | 3.34% |
| Physiological Reactions |
20 |
4.18% |
|
| Pain | 22 | 4.59% | |
| Threat Response | 24 | 5.01% | |
| Invasion | Violation | 54 | 11.27% |
| Fear of Conveying Private Information |
15 |
3.13% |
|
| Intimacy | 56 | 11.69% | |
| Sensory Overload | Audiovisual Integration |
81 |
16.91% |
| Energy Exertion | 13 | 2.71% | |
| Social Nuances | Feels Unnatural | 32 | 6.68% |
| Confusion about Appropriate Use of Eye Contact |
53 |
11.06% |
|
| Self-Consciousness & Embarrassment |
31 |
6.47% |
|
| Nonverbal Communication | Difficulties Reading Information from the Eyes |
27 |
5.64% |
| Inaccurate Nonverbal Sending |
35 |
7.31% |