EXPRESS: Inferential processing in autistic and non-autistic readers: New opportunities for inquiry

This article discusses inferential processing during reading for autistic and non-autistic readers. We demonstrate the criticality of inferential processing for successful text comprehension, alongside evidence that inferential processing is often less efficient for autistic people relative to non-autistic people. We consider the cognitive mechanisms that may underpin inference generation and highlight the RI-Val theory as a potential framework that will allow for considerable theoretical development in this area. The RI-Val theory specifies how validation processes during comprehension are tied to attention shifts, which is a significant development in the conceptualisation of discourse processing. This creates a testable account which if examined using online methods, provides considerable scope for the development of scientific understanding in relation to the inferential and social-communication differences associated with autism.