Self-Awareness of Autistic Symptoms, Empathy, and Systemizing in High-Functioning Children and Adolescents with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: Studies of theory of mind in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) typically focus on the ability to perceive and understand others’ mental states. It has been proposed that the mechanisms that underlie understanding of others’ mental states are similar to those involved in attributing mental states to the self.

Objectives: We investigated self-awareness of autistic symptoms and empathic and systemizing characteristics in high-functioning individuals with ASD.

Methods: We compared parent and self-report scores on the Autism Spectrum, Empathizing, and Systemizing Quotients (AQ, EQ, & SQ). Participants were 15 individuals with an ASD and 16 age- and IQ-matched controls, ages 9 to 19 years.

Results: Parents of ASD participants reported significantly more autistic features (higher AQs) and lower empathy (lower EQs) than parents of controls. No differences were found for parental SQ ratings. Comparisons of parent- and self-report scores revealed that ASD participants reported fewer autism symptoms and higher empathy levels relative to their parent, but there was no difference on the SQ. In contrast, parent- and self-reports for the control group did not differ for the AQ and SQ measures, but parents reported more empathizing than participants. Correlational analyses showed significant positive correlations between parent and self-report AQs for both groups (ASD, r=0.63; controls, r=0.57, both p<0.05). Thus, despite different overall ratings for the ASD group, higher parental ratings were associated with higher self ratings. Parent- and self-report EQs were positively correlated for controls, but not ASD participants (r=0.66, p<0.01 and r=0.37, n.s., respectively). Analyses of AQ and EQ subscales also revealed group differences; these findings will be discussed.

Conclusions: These results suggest that individuals with autism may differ from typically-developing peers with respect to insight into specific domains of their own functioning. Findings will be discussed in the context of current research on theory of mind.