Abstract
Self-perception in high-functioning children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) was examined by comparing parent- and self-reports on the Autism Spectrum, Empathy, and Systemizing Quotients (AQ, EQ and SQ). Participants were 20 youths with ASD and 22 typically developing controls. Both parents and participants in the ASD group reported more autistic traits (higher AQ) and less empathy (lower EQ) than the control group. SQ ratings did not differ between groups. Comparisons of self- and parent-reports indicated that youths with ASD reported significantly fewer autistic traits and more empathic features than their parents attributed to them. There were no discrepancies between parent- and self-reports in the control group. Implications regarding the use of self-report in ASD are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
This project was supported by a Health Research Project Grant (PSO 2007-3410) from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation to S. A. Johnson. Data for this study were collected, in part, in the Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory of Dr. Julie C. Stout at Indiana University. Some of these findings were presented in poster format at the International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) in May, 2008 in London, England and at the Annual Convention of the Canadian Psychological Association in June, 2008 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We thank Jodie Baker and Alison Murton for their assistance with data collection. J. H. Filliter is supported by funding from the Killam Trusts, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and the Autism Research Training Program.
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Johnson, S.A., Filliter, J.H. & Murphy, R.R. Discrepancies Between Self- and Parent-Perceptions of Autistic Traits and Empathy in High Functioning Children and Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum. J Autism Dev Disord 39, 1706–1714 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0809-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0809-1