title: Do Adults with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome Differ in Empathy and Emotion Recognition?
abstract: The present study examined whether adults with high functioning autism (HFA) showed greater difficulties in (1) their self-reported ability to empathise with others and/or (2) their ability to read mental states in others' eyes than adults with Asperger syndrome (AS). The Empathy Quotient (EQ) and 'Reading the Mind in the Eyes' Test (Eyes Test) were compared in 43 adults with AS and 43 adults with HFA. No significant difference was observed on EQ score between groups, while adults with AS performed significantly better on the Eyes Test than those with HFA. This suggests that adults with HFA may need more support, particularly in mentalizing and complex emotion recognition, and raises questions about the existence of subgroups within autism spectrum conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR7 4TJ, UK. charlotte.montgomery@suffolkch.nhs.uk.|Child and Family Psychology Service, Child Development Centre, Hospital Road, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3ND, UK. charlotte.montgomery@suffolkch.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Charlotte B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.affiliation: Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allison
authors.affiliation: Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.|Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.|Child and Youth Mental Health Collaborative at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Hospital for Sick Children, and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Meng-Chuan
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.|Centre for Research in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Coventry, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cassidy
authors.affiliation: The Tizard Centre, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7LR, UK.|Broadland Clinic, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust - Norfolk, Little Plumstead, Norwich, NR13 5EW, UK.
authors.forename: Peter E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Langdon
authors.affiliation: Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Douglas House, 18b Trumpington Road, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.|CLASS Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridgeshire, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baron-Cohen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020817:Asperger Syndrome / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012938:Social Perception
keywords: Asperger; Autism; DSM-5; Emotion; Empathy