title: Concern for Another's Distress in Toddlers at High and Low Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.
abstract: We examined concern for others in 22-month-old toddlers with an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and low risk typically-developing toddlers with older siblings. Responses to a crying infant and an adult social partner who pretended to hurt her finger were coded. Children with a later diagnosis of ASD showed limited empathic concern in either context compared to low risk toddlers. High risk toddlers without a later diagnosis fell between the ASD and low risk groups. During the crying baby probe the low risk and high risk toddlers without a diagnosis engaged their parent more often than the toddlers with ASD. Low levels of empathic concern and engagement with parents may signal emerging ASD in toddlerhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA. sbcamp@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Nina B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Leezenbaum
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Emily N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Taylor N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Day
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 210 South Bouquet Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
authors.forename: Celia A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brownell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012307:Risk Factors; D012647:Self-Assessment; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Empathic concern; Engagement with parents; High-risk siblings; Responses to distress