Abstract
Toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk (LR) toddlers were observed at 22, 28, and 34 months during two empathy probes: a crying baby and an adult who pretended to hurt her finger. Toddlers with a later ASD diagnosis showed less empathic concern and self-distress at each age on both empathy probes than LR toddlers. HR toddlers with no diagnosis showed growth in empathic concern between 22 and 34 months in response to the adult’s pain, differing from the children with ASD, but not the LR children, by 34 months. Developmental changes in parent-rated self-understanding showed a similar pattern. Results highlight individual differences in the social development of HR toddlers.
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Acknowledgments
This study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health R01 MH091036 to Dr. Campbell. We thank Dr. Nancy Minshew, Dr. Mark Strauss, Dr. Carla Mazefsky, Dr. Holly Gastgeb, Ms. Stacey Becker, and the staff at Autism Center of Excellence, University of Pittsburgh for overseeing initial recruitment and assessment of participating families. The Autism Center of Excellence was supported by award number HD055748 (PI Minshew) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Recruitment was also facilitated by the Clinical and Translational Science Institute, supported by the National Institutes of Health through Grant Numbers UL1 RR024153 and UL1TR000005. Thanks are due to Taylor Day, Kristen Decker, Stephanie Fox, Phebe Lockyer, Amanda Mahoney, and Emily Schmidt for overseeing data collection, and to Ari Fish, Rachel Fleming, Kendra Guinness, Megan Messmer, Michelle Meyer, Jenna Obitko, and Amy Tavares for assistance with data collection and coding. Special thanks go to the parents and children who participated in this study.
Author Contributions
SBC was responsible for the overall conduct of the study and the preparation of the manuscript. ELM oversaw data management and coding. JN and ELM analyzed the data. All co-authors read, edited, and approved the manuscript.
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This study was approved by the Internal Review Board. Informed consent was obtained from all parents who participated in this study.
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Campbell, S.B., Moore, E.L., Northrup, J. et al. Developmental Changes in Empathic Concern and Self-Understanding in Toddlers at Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord 47, 2690–2702 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3192-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3192-3