Exploring the role of empathy in understanding the social-cognitive profile for individuals referred for autism spectrum disorders assessment in adulthood
Exploring the role of empathy in understanding the social-cognitive profile for individuals referred for autism spectrum disorders assessment in adulthood
This study explored the social-cognitive profile of 173 adults referred for an autism assessment. We considered key dimensional traits (autism, empathy and systemising) to understand social cognition in adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition compared with those who were referred for, but did not receive a diagnosis. There were no significant social cognitive differences between groups on measures of emotion recognition and social inference. Adults with a confirmed diagnosis, however, reported fewer empathising traits which were positively associated with social-cognitive understanding. Empathising partially mediated the relationship between diagnostic group and social-cognition. Lower empathising traits in individuals diagnosed in adulthood may be important in understanding challenges with social adaptability. The findings have implications for assessment and highlight the role of empathy in developing social understanding in autism.
Autism spectrum disorder, Adults, neuropsychology, social cognition, Diagnosis
Russ, Victoria
91304e34-944a-4a77-aa78-59a63db06450
Kovshoff, Hanna
82c321ee-d151-40c5-8dde-281af59f2142
Brown, Tony
92f95f06-d1c5-4853-a23f-3e8794d65b6b
Abbott, Patricia
0e848763-0e04-4031-9dc9-f47c91d8269f
Hadwin, Julie
a364caf0-405a-42f3-a04c-4864817393ee
Russ, Victoria
91304e34-944a-4a77-aa78-59a63db06450
Kovshoff, Hanna
82c321ee-d151-40c5-8dde-281af59f2142
Brown, Tony
92f95f06-d1c5-4853-a23f-3e8794d65b6b
Abbott, Patricia
0e848763-0e04-4031-9dc9-f47c91d8269f
Hadwin, Julie
a364caf0-405a-42f3-a04c-4864817393ee
Russ, Victoria, Kovshoff, Hanna, Brown, Tony, Abbott, Patricia and Hadwin, Julie
(2018)
Exploring the role of empathy in understanding the social-cognitive profile for individuals referred for autism spectrum disorders assessment in adulthood.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
(doi:10.1007/s10803-018-3693-8).
Abstract
This study explored the social-cognitive profile of 173 adults referred for an autism assessment. We considered key dimensional traits (autism, empathy and systemising) to understand social cognition in adults diagnosed with an autism spectrum condition compared with those who were referred for, but did not receive a diagnosis. There were no significant social cognitive differences between groups on measures of emotion recognition and social inference. Adults with a confirmed diagnosis, however, reported fewer empathising traits which were positively associated with social-cognitive understanding. Empathising partially mediated the relationship between diagnostic group and social-cognition. Lower empathising traits in individuals diagnosed in adulthood may be important in understanding challenges with social adaptability. The findings have implications for assessment and highlight the role of empathy in developing social understanding in autism.
Text
VR_JADD Final_accepted version
- Accepted Manuscript
Text
Russ2018_Article_ExploringTheRoleOfEmpathyInUnd
- Version of Record
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 25 June 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 26 July 2018
Keywords:
Autism spectrum disorder, Adults, neuropsychology, social cognition, Diagnosis
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 424841
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/424841
ISSN: 0162-3257
PURE UUID: 94b446a9-ac6e-4e02-9d5b-cc8ba7eb88ac
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 05 Oct 2018 11:49
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 04:12
Export record
Altmetrics
Contributors
Author:
Victoria Russ
Author:
Tony Brown
Author:
Patricia Abbott
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics
