The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, and normal sex differences.
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| Title: | The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, and normal sex differences. |
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| Authors: | Baron-Cohen S (AUTHOR), Wheelwright S (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Apr2004, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p163-175. 13p. |
| Abstract: | Empathy is an essential part of normal social functioning, yet there are precious few instruments for measuring individual differences in this domain. In this article we review psychological theories of empathy and its measurement. Previous instruments that purport to measure this have not always focused purely on empathy. We report a new self-report questionnaire, the Empathy Quotient (EQ), for use with adults of normal intelligence. It contains 40 empathy items and 20 filler/control items. On each empathy item a person can score 2, 1, or 0, so the EQ has a maximum score of 80 and a minimum of zero. In Study 1 we employed the EQ with n = 90 adults (65 males, 25 females) with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA), who are reported clinically to have difficulties in empathy. The adults with AS/HFA scored significantly lower on the EQ than n = 90 (65 males, 25 females) age-matched controls. Of the adults with AS/HFA, 81% scored equal to or fewer than 30 points out of 80, compared with only 12% of controls. In Study 2 we carried out a study of n = 197 adults from a general population, to test for previously reported sex differences (female superiority) in empathy. This confirmed that women scored significantly higher than men. The EQ reveals both a sex difference in empathy in the general population and an empathy deficit in AS/HFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 106081404 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, and normal sex differences. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Baron-Cohen+S%22">Baron-Cohen S</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wheelwright+S%22">Wheelwright S</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+%26+Developmental+Disorders%22">Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders</searchLink>. Apr2004, Vol. 34 Issue 2, p163-175. 13p. – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Empathy is an essential part of normal social functioning, yet there are precious few instruments for measuring individual differences in this domain. In this article we review psychological theories of empathy and its measurement. Previous instruments that purport to measure this have not always focused purely on empathy. We report a new self-report questionnaire, the Empathy Quotient (EQ), for use with adults of normal intelligence. It contains 40 empathy items and 20 filler/control items. On each empathy item a person can score 2, 1, or 0, so the EQ has a maximum score of 80 and a minimum of zero. In Study 1 we employed the EQ with n = 90 adults (65 males, 25 females) with Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA), who are reported clinically to have difficulties in empathy. The adults with AS/HFA scored significantly lower on the EQ than n = 90 (65 males, 25 females) age-matched controls. Of the adults with AS/HFA, 81% scored equal to or fewer than 30 points out of 80, compared with only 12% of controls. In Study 2 we carried out a study of n = 197 adults from a general population, to test for previously reported sex differences (female superiority) in empathy. This confirmed that women scored significantly higher than men. The EQ reveals both a sex difference in empathy in the general population and an empathy deficit in AS/HFA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=106081404 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1023/b:jadd.0000022607.19833.00 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 13 StartPage: 163 Titles: – TitleFull: The empathy quotient: an investigation of adults with asperger syndrome or high functioning autism, and normal sex differences. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Baron-Cohen S – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wheelwright S IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2004 Type: published Y: 2004 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 01623257 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 34 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders Type: main |
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