An Investigation into Cognitive and Emotional Empathy in Autism
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An Investigation into Cognitive and Emotional Empathy in Autism and Psychopathy
IRAS ID
118261
Contact name
Oliver O'Mara
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Trust
Research summary
A potential challenge for forensic ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) services is how to differentiate between what is Psychopathy and what is ASD behaviour as within forensic services they can appear similar in presentation and appear to share underlying deficits in empathy (Baron-Cohen, 1989; Hare, 2003).
ASD is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder where the main difficulties lie in socialization, theory of mind and empathy (DSM-IV-TR, 2000; Baron-Cohen 1989, 2001).
Psychopathy is a cluster of personality traits characterized by a lack of empathy, anti-social behaviour and impulsivity (Hare, 2003).
The construct of empathy however, can be split into cognitive and emotional. Cognitive empathy refers to emotional perspective taking, whereas emotional empathy is where a person responds appropriately to another’s emotion. Blair (1999) has shown that individuals with high Psychopathy traits have deficits in emotional empathy but intact cognitive empathy, whereas the reverse can be found in ASD. There is no current research into ASD adults with high psychopathy traits.
The main aim of the study is to assess whether a distinct profile of empathy deficits would emerge for ASD adults with high Psychopathy traits compared to those with low psychopathy traits.
Participants will be recruited from ASD forensic and non forensic services across England. All potential participants will be those individuals who have a diagnosis of ASD.
Potential participants who wish to take part in the research will be asked for their consent for their scores on previously completed Psychopathy and IQ assessments to be provided to the researcher. An appointment will be provided to complete the empathy assessments and psychopathy assessment if they have not previously completed one. Data analysis will investigate the relationships and differences between psychopathy traits and empathy deficits.
The findings will hopefully educate forensic services about different empathy deficits and the difference between psychopathy and ASD.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NE/0179
Date of REC Opinion
20 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion