Special interest (autism)

Special interests are highly focused interests common in autistic people.^[1]

Special interests are more intense than typical interests, such as hobbies,^[2] and may take up much of a person's free time. A person with a special interest will often hyperfocus on their special interest for hours, want to learn as much as possible on the topic,^[3] collect related items,^[4] and incorporate their special interest into play^[5] and art.^[6] Some interests are more likely to be seen as special interests if they are particularly unusual, specific, or niche.^[2] Autism rights advocates and psychologists say this binary of acceptable "passions" and pathologised "obsessions" is unfair.^[7][8] Terms like circumscribed interests,^[9] obsessions, or restricted interests^[10] have historically been used to describe special interests, but these terms are discouraged by autism rights advocates.^[7]

Special interests are sometimes confused with hyperfixations.^[11] Hyperfixations are short-lived periods of strong interest in a subject over a few days to months which can occur in anyone (although are especially common in people with ADHD),^[12] while special interests are an autistic trait and usually last years.^[13] A person may hyperfixate on a special interest.