11/06/2026
For many autistic people, not knowing what comes next can feel deeply uncomfortable.
New research suggests that this discomfort with uncertainty may be connected to why some autistic people find it difficult to identify and describe their emotions.
The study found that people with higher autistic traits may use the simple act of naming an emotion as a way to cope with uncertainty. Putting a word to a vague, overwhelming feeling makes it feel more predictable and easier to understand.
But here is where the two become linked.
Many autistic people also experience alexithymia, which can make recognising and describing emotions genuinely difficult. So the very strategy that could help make uncertainty feel more manageable is often the hardest one to access.
Researchers believe this may help explain why difficulties with uncertainty and emotional awareness so often appear together.
SOURCE: PsyPost