Dissociation of cognitive and emotional empathy in adults with Asperger syndrome using the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET).
Empathy is a multidimensional construct consisting of cognitive (inferring mental states) and emotional (empathic concern) components. Despite a paucity of research, individuals on the autism spectrum are generally believed to lack empathy. In the current study we used a new, photo-based measure, the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), to assess empathy multidimensionally in a group of 17 individuals with Asperger syndrome (AS) and 18 well-matched controls. Results suggested that while individuals with AS are impaired in cognitive empathy, they do not differ from controls in emotional empathy. Level of general emotional arousability and socially desirable answer tendencies did not differ between groups. Internal consistency of the MET's scales ranged from .71 to .92, and convergent and divergent validity were highly satisfactory.
Dziobek
Isabel
I
Neurocognition of Decision Making, Max-Planck-Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin, Germany. dziobek@mpib-berlin.mpg.de
Rogers
Kimberley
K
Fleck
Stefan
S
Bahnemann
Markus
M
Heekeren
Hauke R
HR
Wolf
Oliver T
OT
Convit
Antonio
A
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires