Callous unemotional traits, autism spectrum disorder symptoms and empathy in boys with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. (30th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pijper, Jarla; de Wied, Minet; van Rijn, Sophie; van Goozen, Stephanie; Swaab, Hanna; Meeus, Wim
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Volume 245(2016)
• Page Start: 340
• Page End: 345
• Publication Date: 2016-11-30
• Subjects: ODD -- CD -- Affective empathy -- Cognitive empathy -- CU traits -- ASD symptoms; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2016.08.053
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: This study examined additive and interactive effects of callous unemotional (CU) traits and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) symptoms in relation to trait empathy, in boys with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or conduct disorder (CD). Participants were 49 boys with ODD/CD, aged between 7–12 years. Boys completed a questionnaire measure of empathic sadness and a broader questionnaire measure of affective and cognitive empathy. Parents and teachers reported on CU traits, and parents reported on ASD symptoms. In agreement with predictions, results reveal a negative association between CU traits and empathic sadness, particularly strong for ODD/CD boys with low levels of ASD symptoms. Results also reveal a negative association between ASD symptoms and cognitive empathy. Findings suggest that CU traits and ASD symptoms are associated with distinct empathy deficits with poor empathic sadness being more typical of CU traits than ASD symptoms. Highlights: CU traits and ASD symptoms are linked to distinct empathy impairments in this sample of ODD/CD boys. CU traits are inversely related to empathic sadness. This relationship is particularly strong at low levels of ASD. Poor empathic sadness seems more typical for CU traits than ASD symptoms. ASD symptoms are inversely related to cognitive empathy.