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Does Having a Sibling Affect Autistic People's Empathy?
Yonat Rum1,2, Ofer Golan3,4, Carrie Allison3
1Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. Yr255@cam.ac.uk.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
|November 7, 2023
Summary
Autistic children without siblings showed higher empathy scores than those with siblings. Adult empathy showed no difference, but sex and sibling status interacted on one measure.
Area of Science:
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Social Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by differences in social interaction and communication.
- The role of sibling relationships in the development of social skills and empathy in autistic individuals is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of having siblings on empathy levels in autistic children and adults.
- To explore potential differences in empathy measures based on sibling status within autistic populations.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Cambridge Autism Research Database (CARD) including autistic children (n=939) and adults (n=736).
- Empathy was assessed using the Empathy Quotient (EQ) for children (parent-report) and adults (self-report).
- The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) was administered to adults.
Main Results:
- Autistic children without siblings scored significantly higher on the EQ than those with siblings.
- No significant differences in empathy were found between autistic adults with and without siblings on either the EQ or RMET.
- An interaction effect between sex and sibling status was observed on the RMET in adults, with autistic males with siblings performing similarly to females.
Conclusions:
- Sibling status may not enhance empathy in autistic individuals as hypothesized, with some evidence suggesting the opposite in children.
- Parental reports of empathy in children with siblings might be influenced by a contrast effect.
- Further research is needed to explore the nuanced relationship between siblings, sex, and empathy in autistic males.
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