Research Papers
21 academic papers on monotropism and related topics. All available for download.
⭐ Foundational Papers
Murray, Lesser & Lawson (2005)
"Attention, monotropism and the diagnostic criteria for autism" Autism, 9(2), 139-156.
The paper that established monotropism as a formal theory. Everything builds on this.
→ Download PDF | SAGE Journals
Milton (2012)
"On the ontological status of autism: the 'double empathy problem'" Disability & Society, 27(6), 883-887.
The companion theory. Communication difficulty is bidirectional.
→ Download PDF | Kent Repository
Murray — Me and Monotropism
"Me and Monotropism: A unified theory of autism" The Psychologist, 2019.
Most-read article in The Psychologist that year. Accessible introduction.
Murray — Interest-Based Account
"Monotropism: An Interest-Based Account of Autism" SpringerLink Reference Work Entry.
2024 Research (Latest)
Dwyer et al. (2024)
"Investigating autistic hyper-focus and monotropism" ERP investigation of attention patterns.
Heasman et al. (2024)
"Towards autistic flow theory: A non-pathologising conceptual approach" Strength-based understanding of autistic flow states.
Grissom et al. (2024)
"Verbal fluency and autism: Reframing through monotropism" Reinterprets existing research through the monotropism lens.
→ Download PDF | Wiley
Rapaport (2024)
"I Live In Extremes" Autistic experience and intensity.
Flow & Hyperfocus
Ashinoff & Abu-Akel (2021)
"Hyperfocus: The forgotten frontier of attention" Comprehensive review of hyperfocus across ADHD, autism, and general population.
Hyperfocus, Flow & Autism (2022)
Frontiers in Psychology
Rapaport (2023)
"In a State of Flow" Flow states in autistic experience.
Inertia & Burnout
Buckle et al. (2021)
"Autistic Inertia" Phenomenological study of difficulty starting, stopping, and changing tasks.
"What I Wish You Knew" (2021)
Burnout and inertia from autistic perspectives.
Double Empathy
Milton (2012) — "So What Exactly Is Autism?"
Milton (2023) — Book Chapter
Double Empathy Problem — expanded treatment.
Milton — NAS Article
National Autistic Society overview.
PDA & Monotropism
Woods (2018)
"PDA and Monotropism" Pathological Demand Avoidance through the monotropism lens.
Historical
Kanner (1943)
"Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact" The original autism paper. Historical context.
Baron-Cohen, Leslie & Frith (1985)
"Does the autistic child have a 'theory of mind'?" The Sally-Anne test paper.
Hobson (1990)
"Origins of the Self" Early developmental perspective.