Associations between emotion recognition and autistic and callous-unemotional traits: differential effects of cueing to the eyes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although autism and callous-unemotional (CU) traits are distinct conditions, both are associated with difficulties in emotion recognition. However, it is unknown whether the emotion recognition difficulties characteristic of autism and CU traits are driven by comparable underpinning mechanisms.

Methods

We tested whether cueing to the eyes improved emotion recognition in relation to autistic and CU traits in a heterogeneous sample of children enhanced for social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Participants were 171 (n = 75 male) children aged 10-16 years with and without a diagnosis of autism (n = 99 autistic), who completed assessments of emotion recognition with and without cueing to the eyes. Parents completed the assessment of autistic and CU traits.

SUBMITTER: Carter Leno V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10953425 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature