Quantity and quality of empathic responding by autistic and non-autistic adolescent girls and boys / Carolien RIEFFE in Autism, 25-1 (January 2021)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 25-1 (January 2021) . - p.199-209 Titre : Quantity and quality of empathic responding by autistic and non-autistic adolescent girls and boys Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur ; Rachel O'CONNOR, Auteur ; Anne BÜLOW, Auteur ; Danique WILLEMS, Auteur ; Laura HULL, Auteur ; Felicity SEDGEWICK, Auteur ; Lex STOCKMANN, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.199-209 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : affective empathy  cognitive empathy  emotional arousal  gender  pro-social behaviour Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Empathy is an important feature to feel for another person, evoking social support for the person in distress, and thus strengthening social cohesion. The question is to what extent empathic reactions can also be observed in autistic adolescents and autistic girls in particular, since their often mentioned good social skills might prevent their direct social environment from recognizing their autism. We examined 194 adolescents (autistic and non-autistic boys and girls) during an in vivo task in which the experimenter pretended to hurt herself while closing a binder. All responses by the participants were videotaped and coded by two independent coders. In line with our predictions, no group or gender differences appeared related to their attention for the event; yet autistic girls and boys showed less visible emotional arousal, which could indicate less affective empathy (feeling for someone), or which could indicate that autistic adolescents know less well how to show empathy. Autistic girls and boys reacted by comforting the experimenter equally often as their non-autistic peers, but autistic boys addressed the problem more often than any other group, while girls (autistic and non-autistic) more often addressed the emotion of the person in need. Our findings highlight that empathic behaviour is remarkably similar between autistic and non-autistic boys and girls. Indeed, only subtle differences exist, in terms of expressed emotional arousal and gender-specific comforting styles. Autistic girls' higher levels of emotion-focused comforting could be explained by well-developed social skills, camouflaging, or emotional investment in relationships with others. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320956422 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=437 [article] Quantity and quality of empathic responding by autistic and non-autistic adolescent girls and boys [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur ; Rachel O'CONNOR, Auteur ; Anne BÜLOW, Auteur ; Danique WILLEMS, Auteur ; Laura HULL, Auteur ; Felicity SEDGEWICK, Auteur ; Lex STOCKMANN, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur . - p.199-209. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 25-1 (January 2021) . - p.199-209 Mots-clés : affective empathy  cognitive empathy  emotional arousal  gender  pro-social behaviour Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Empathy is an important feature to feel for another person, evoking social support for the person in distress, and thus strengthening social cohesion. The question is to what extent empathic reactions can also be observed in autistic adolescents and autistic girls in particular, since their often mentioned good social skills might prevent their direct social environment from recognizing their autism. We examined 194 adolescents (autistic and non-autistic boys and girls) during an in vivo task in which the experimenter pretended to hurt herself while closing a binder. All responses by the participants were videotaped and coded by two independent coders. In line with our predictions, no group or gender differences appeared related to their attention for the event; yet autistic girls and boys showed less visible emotional arousal, which could indicate less affective empathy (feeling for someone), or which could indicate that autistic adolescents know less well how to show empathy. Autistic girls and boys reacted by comforting the experimenter equally often as their non-autistic peers, but autistic boys addressed the problem more often than any other group, while girls (autistic and non-autistic) more often addressed the emotion of the person in need. Our findings highlight that empathic behaviour is remarkably similar between autistic and non-autistic boys and girls. Indeed, only subtle differences exist, in terms of expressed emotional arousal and gender-specific comforting styles. Autistic girls' higher levels of emotion-focused comforting could be explained by well-developed social skills, camouflaging, or emotional investment in relationships with others. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1362361320956422 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=437

School participation of autistic youths: The influence of youth, family and school factors / David HEYNE ; Anke SCHEEREN ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS ; Carolien RIEFFE in Autism, 28-9 (September 2024)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 28-9 (September 2024) . - p.2295-2310 Titre : School participation of autistic youths: The influence of youth, family and school factors Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : David HEYNE, Auteur ; Anke SCHEEREN, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur ; Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.2295-2310 Langues : (en) Mots-clés : autistic traits  autistic youth  physical environment  school participation  social environment Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Many autistic youths experience restricted school participation. The present study investigated the influences of youth, family and school factors on autistic youths' school participation. Parents of 200 Dutch autistic youths (age range: 4-16?years, Mage = 12.23?years, SDage = 2.93?years) filled in questionnaires in a national survey for autistic individuals, reporting the school participation, age and autistic traits of their child, parents' education level and self-efficacy for supporting their child?s schoolwork, and the impact of problems their child experienced with the physical and social environments of the school. Multivariate linear regression analysis using imputed data revealed that among the six predictor variables, only the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was negatively associated with their school participation. This study provided support for the essential role of the school environment in predicting autistic youths' school participation, indicating that problematic aspects in the school environment could have a greater impact on autistic youths' school participation than youth factors or family factors. This highlights the need to create a more accommodating environment at school, where autistic youths can participate easily and comfortably. Lay abstract School-aged youths have a basic human right to participate in educational and recreational activities at school. Yet, autistic youths are at high risk of being excluded from school and from school-based activities. It is important to understand how this occurs, to ensure that all autistic youths have opportunities to participate in school activities that are equal to the opportunities of their non-autistic peers. The present study investigated multiple influences on the school participation of autistic youths, including youth factors (age and autistic traits), family factors (parent education level and parental self-efficacy for supporting their child?s schoolwork) and school factors (the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical and social environments of school). Using an online survey, we gathered the views and experiences of the parents of 200 autistic youths aged between 4 and 16?years, in the Netherlands. We found that among the factors, only the impact of problems that autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was associated with their school participation. In particular, autistic youths who experienced greater difficulties with the physical environment of school had lower levels of school participation. Our findings highlight the pressing need to modify school environments to better accommodate the needs of autistic youths so that they can participate easily and comfortably. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613231225490 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=535 [article] School participation of autistic youths: The influence of youth, family and school factors [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / David HEYNE, Auteur ; Anke SCHEEREN, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur ; Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur . - p.2295-2310. Langues : (en) in Autism > 28-9 (September 2024) . - p.2295-2310 Mots-clés : autistic traits  autistic youth  physical environment  school participation  social environment Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Many autistic youths experience restricted school participation. The present study investigated the influences of youth, family and school factors on autistic youths' school participation. Parents of 200 Dutch autistic youths (age range: 4-16?years, Mage = 12.23?years, SDage = 2.93?years) filled in questionnaires in a national survey for autistic individuals, reporting the school participation, age and autistic traits of their child, parents' education level and self-efficacy for supporting their child?s schoolwork, and the impact of problems their child experienced with the physical and social environments of the school. Multivariate linear regression analysis using imputed data revealed that among the six predictor variables, only the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was negatively associated with their school participation. This study provided support for the essential role of the school environment in predicting autistic youths' school participation, indicating that problematic aspects in the school environment could have a greater impact on autistic youths' school participation than youth factors or family factors. This highlights the need to create a more accommodating environment at school, where autistic youths can participate easily and comfortably. Lay abstract School-aged youths have a basic human right to participate in educational and recreational activities at school. Yet, autistic youths are at high risk of being excluded from school and from school-based activities. It is important to understand how this occurs, to ensure that all autistic youths have opportunities to participate in school activities that are equal to the opportunities of their non-autistic peers. The present study investigated multiple influences on the school participation of autistic youths, including youth factors (age and autistic traits), family factors (parent education level and parental self-efficacy for supporting their child?s schoolwork) and school factors (the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical and social environments of school). Using an online survey, we gathered the views and experiences of the parents of 200 autistic youths aged between 4 and 16?years, in the Netherlands. We found that among the factors, only the impact of problems that autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was associated with their school participation. In particular, autistic youths who experienced greater difficulties with the physical environment of school had lower levels of school participation. Our findings highlight the pressing need to modify school environments to better accommodate the needs of autistic youths so that they can participate easily and comfortably. En ligne : https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613231225490 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=535

Toward feeling, understanding, and caring: The development of empathy in young autistic children / Boya LI in Autism, 27-5 (July 2023)  

Public ISBD [article]  inAutism > 27-5 (July 2023) . - p.1204-1218 Titre : Toward feeling, understanding, and caring: The development of empathy in young autistic children Type de document : Texte imprimé et/ou numérique Auteurs : Boya LI, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur ; Lex STOCKMANN, Auteur ; Ilaria VERGARI, Auteur ; Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur Article en page(s) : p.1204-1218 Langues : Anglais (eng) Mots-clés : attention;autism spectrum disorders;early childhood;emotion acknowledgment;emotion contagion;empathy development;longitudinal;prosocial action Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Autistic people are often portrayed as lacking empathy. Yet they are not indifferent to others' feelings. To advance our understanding of the early development of empathy in autistic children, this longitudinal study followed the development of four empathy abilities: emotion contagion, attention to others, emotion acknowledgment, and prosocial actions, in 1- to 6-year-old autistic children (N?=?61; Mage?=?55.49?months), in comparison with non-autistic peers (N?=?145; Mage?=?52.16?months). Once a year, for 4 consecutive years, children?s empathic reactions were evaluated by experimenters who acted out emotional episodes to elicit empathy in children, and by parents who filled out empathy questionnaires. We confirmed autistic children?s difficulty attending to others, acknowledging others' emotions, and initiating prosocial actions. However, according to parents, they did not differ from non-autistic children in emotion contagion with others' negative emotions. Notably, autistic children showed a greater increase in prosocial actions over time than their non-autistic peers. We discussed how to interpret these findings in light of the "double empathy problem," and stressed the importance of removing the stereotypical view of autism. Furthermore, this study was among the first to show that autistic children have the potential to learn and to improve empathy skills. Lay abstract Empathy is a highly valued human capacity. Yet, autistic people are often portrayed as lacking in empathy. Recent research, which views empathy as a complex construct emerging from multiple interrelated emotional and cognitive processes, argues that, although many autistic people do have difficulty understanding others' emotions, and this may hinder them from responding to others in a prosocial manner, they are not indifferent to other people?s feelings. Hoping to contribute to a better understanding of the unique challenges that autistic children face in their empathy development, we followed the development of four empathy abilities: emotion contagion, attention to others, emotion acknowledgment, and prosocial actions, in 1- to 6-year-old autistic children, in comparison with non-autistic children. Once a year, for 4 consecutive years, children?s empathy abilities were evaluated by experimenters who acted out emotional episodes to provoke empathy in children, and by parents who filled out empathy questionnaires. We found that autistic children experienced indeed more difficulty attending to others, acknowledging others' emotions, and initiating prosocial actions toward others. However, according to parents, they did not differ from their non-autistic peers in feeling along with others' negative emotions. This indicates that it might not be the case that autistic children did not want to act empathetically toward others. Rather, they might not know how to do so. Notably, despite these difficulties, when looking at children?s developmental trajectories, autistic children showed similar improvements over time as non-autistic children. This provides evidence that autistic children have the potential to learn and to improve their empathy skills. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613221117955 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=507 [article] Toward feeling, understanding, and caring: The development of empathy in young autistic children [Texte imprimé et/ou numérique] / Boya LI, Auteur ; Els BLIJD-HOOGEWYS, Auteur ; Lex STOCKMANN, Auteur ; Ilaria VERGARI, Auteur ; Carolien RIEFFE, Auteur . - p.1204-1218. Langues : Anglais (eng) in Autism > 27-5 (July 2023) . - p.1204-1218 Mots-clés : attention;autism spectrum disorders;early childhood;emotion acknowledgment;emotion contagion;empathy development;longitudinal;prosocial action Index. décimale : PER Périodiques Résumé : Autistic people are often portrayed as lacking empathy. Yet they are not indifferent to others' feelings. To advance our understanding of the early development of empathy in autistic children, this longitudinal study followed the development of four empathy abilities: emotion contagion, attention to others, emotion acknowledgment, and prosocial actions, in 1- to 6-year-old autistic children (N?=?61; Mage?=?55.49?months), in comparison with non-autistic peers (N?=?145; Mage?=?52.16?months). Once a year, for 4 consecutive years, children?s empathic reactions were evaluated by experimenters who acted out emotional episodes to elicit empathy in children, and by parents who filled out empathy questionnaires. We confirmed autistic children?s difficulty attending to others, acknowledging others' emotions, and initiating prosocial actions. However, according to parents, they did not differ from non-autistic children in emotion contagion with others' negative emotions. Notably, autistic children showed a greater increase in prosocial actions over time than their non-autistic peers. We discussed how to interpret these findings in light of the "double empathy problem," and stressed the importance of removing the stereotypical view of autism. Furthermore, this study was among the first to show that autistic children have the potential to learn and to improve empathy skills. Lay abstract Empathy is a highly valued human capacity. Yet, autistic people are often portrayed as lacking in empathy. Recent research, which views empathy as a complex construct emerging from multiple interrelated emotional and cognitive processes, argues that, although many autistic people do have difficulty understanding others' emotions, and this may hinder them from responding to others in a prosocial manner, they are not indifferent to other people?s feelings. Hoping to contribute to a better understanding of the unique challenges that autistic children face in their empathy development, we followed the development of four empathy abilities: emotion contagion, attention to others, emotion acknowledgment, and prosocial actions, in 1- to 6-year-old autistic children, in comparison with non-autistic children. Once a year, for 4 consecutive years, children?s empathy abilities were evaluated by experimenters who acted out emotional episodes to provoke empathy in children, and by parents who filled out empathy questionnaires. We found that autistic children experienced indeed more difficulty attending to others, acknowledging others' emotions, and initiating prosocial actions toward others. However, according to parents, they did not differ from their non-autistic peers in feeling along with others' negative emotions. This indicates that it might not be the case that autistic children did not want to act empathetically toward others. Rather, they might not know how to do so. Notably, despite these difficulties, when looking at children?s developmental trajectories, autistic children showed similar improvements over time as non-autistic children. This provides evidence that autistic children have the potential to learn and to improve their empathy skills. En ligne : http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/13623613221117955 Permalink : https://www.cra-rhone-alpes.org/cid/opac_css/index.php?lvl=notice_display&id=507

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