The influence of affective empathy and autism spectrum traits on empathic accuracy

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by interpersonal deficits and has been associated with limited cognitive empathy, which includes perspective taking, theory of mind, and empathic accuracy (EA). The capacity for affective empathy may also be impaired. In the present study we aimed to determi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2014-06, Vol.9 (6), p.e98436-e98436
Main Authors: aan het Rot, Marije, Hogenelst, Koen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accuracy
Adolescent
Adult
Autism
Behavior
Biology and Life Sciences
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive - psychology
Cognition
Cognitive ability
Electromyography
Emotions
Empathy
Female
Humans
Laboratories
Male
Medicine and Health Sciences
Neurosciences
Pain
Personal communication
Psychology
Ratings & rankings
Skills
Social Sciences
Studies
Teenagers
Validity
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Summary:Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by interpersonal deficits and has been associated with limited cognitive empathy, which includes perspective taking, theory of mind, and empathic accuracy (EA). The capacity for affective empathy may also be impaired. In the present study we aimed to determine if EA in normally developing individuals with varying levels of autism spectrum traits is moderated by trait affective empathy. Fifty male and fifty female participants ('perceivers') completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient and the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale to assess autism spectrum traits and trait affective empathy, respectively. EA was assessed using a Dutch-language version of a previously developed task and involved rating the feelings of others ('targets') verbally recounting autobiographical emotional events. Targets varied in trait emotional expressivity, assessed using the Berkeley Expressivity Questionnaire. Perceivers with more autism spectrum traits performed worse on the EA task, particularly when their trait affective empathy was relatively low. Interpersonal deficits in autism spectrum disorder may be partially explained by low cognitive empathy. Further, they might be aggravated by a limited capacity for affective empathy.
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0098436