Associations among autistic traits, cognitive and affective empathy, and personality traits in adults with autism spectrum disorder and no intellectual disability

Yukihiko Shirayama,Koichi Sato,Katsumasa Muneoka,Akihiro Okada,Sayo Hamatani,Kazuki Matsumoto

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-07101-x

Abstract

Reported empathy deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be attributable to other ASD-related features. We evaluated 28 ASD adults with no intellectual disability and 24 age-matched non-ASD control subjects using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO). Compared to the controls, ASD participants showed lower scores for perspective taking, online simulation, cognitive empathy, and peripheral responsivity on the QCAE, and lower scores for perspective taking and empathic concern on the IRI. Within the ASD group, the AQ scores showed significant relationships with perspective taking, online simulation and cognitive empathy on the QCAE, and perspective taking on the IRI. The ASD group also showed higher scores for neuroticism and lower scores for extraversion on the NEO compared to the controls. However, there were no relationships between AQ scores and NEO factors within the ASD group. Multiple regression analysis with stepwise linear regression demonstrated that perspective taking score on the QCAE and extraversion score on the NEO were good predictor variables to autistic traits on the AQ. These findings help us to understand empathy and personality traits in ASD adults with no intellectual disability.

Highlights

Reported empathy deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be attributable to other ASDrelated features
When we combined the subcategory data into the two categories on the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), t-tests showed that adults with ASD had significantly lower scores for cognitive empathy, but not for affective empathy (Table 2)
Within only ASD group, we found significant correlations between neuroticism on the NEO and personal distress on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), extraversion on the NEO and online simulation on the QCAE, extraversion on the NEO and affective empathy on the QCAE, openness on the NEO and online simulation on the QCAE, and conscientiousness on the NEO and perspective taking on the IRI (Table 6)

Summary

Introduction

Reported empathy deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be attributable to other ASDrelated features. Within the ASD group, the AQ scores showed significant relationships with perspective taking, online simulation and cognitive empathy on the QCAE, and perspective taking on the IRI. These findings help us to understand empathy and personality traits in ASD adults with no intellectual disability. People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) typically have problems with reciprocal social interaction and communication and show restricted interests. As a result, they can experience challenges that interfere with their activities of daily living. Asperger syndrome was once distinguished from other ASD conditions by an association with typical early language development, and individuals with intelligence quotient (IQ) scores within or above the normal average range have been described as “high-functioning”

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Discussion

Conclusion