Explaining Variance in Social Symptoms of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

ABSTRACT: The social symptoms of autism spectrum disorder are likely influenced by multiple psychological processes, yet most previous studies have focused on a single social domain. In school-aged autistic children (n = 49), we compared the amount of variance in social symptoms uniquely explained by theory of mind (ToM), biological motion perception, empathy, social reward, and social anxiety. Parent-reported emotional contagion-the aspect of empathy in which one shares another's emotion-emerged as the most important predictor, explaining 11-14% of the variance in social symptoms, with higher levels of emotional contagion predicting lower social symptom severity. Our findings highlight the role of mutual emotional experiences in social-interactive success, as well as the limitations of standard mea

SUBMITTER: Alkire D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7854817 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature