Affective empathy in neurodegenerative disorders: The importance of measurement type. (August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wright, Janet K.X.; Grainger, Sarah A.; Coundouris, Sarah P.; Henry, Julie D.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 127(2021)
• Page Start: 808
• Page End: 819
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Subjects: Neurodegenerative disorders -- Affective empathy -- Cognitive empathy -- Measurement type; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.05.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Most neurodegenerative disorders (NDs) are associated with significant impairment in affective empathy. The magnitude of affective empathy impairment differs meaningfully across NDs. Measurement type plays a fundamental role in the magnitude of affective empathy difficulties. Performance-based methods of assessment are rarely used to index affective empathy in NDs. Abstract: In recent years, there has been increasing attention focused on affective empathy in neurodegenerative disorders (NDs). However, prior studies have identified discrepancies not only between, but sometimes within, specific NDs. These discrepancies may reflect methodological differences in how affective empathy has been operationalized, with three quite distinct approaches to assessment possible (self-report, informant-report and performance-based). Therefore, we conducted the first meta-analytic review of affective empathy in people with NDs, that considered the potential moderating role of measurement type. Across 27 studies that included 1456 people with NDs and 832 controls, the results showed that most NDs are associated with impaired affective empathy, but that the magnitude of these difficulties differs meaningfully across disorders. However, most importantly, the results indicated that measurement type is a critical consideration in this literature, with substantive differences emerging for self- versus informant-rated measures. These results are discussed in relation to their practical implications for clinical assessment, as well as how they help to inform current theoretical understanding of affective empathic processing.