Empathy, and Autistic Traits in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Background: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often display significantly more comorbid autistic traits (ATs) compared with their peers without ADHD. Furthermore, previous research demonstrated that the group with both ADHD and ATs show significantly more neuropsychological and interpersonal deficits, as well as more emotional dysregulation.

Objectives: to investigate empathy and autistic traits in children with ADHD as compared with children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASD) and typically developing children (TYP).

Methods: n=32 ADHD children (combined type), n=35 ASD children and n=77 TYP children were evaluated using the Italian version of the Child Autism Spectrum Quotient (C-AQ) and the Child Empathy Quotient (C-EQ). All the children were assessed at the Policlinic University Hospital “AOU G. Martino” in Messina, Italy, they were all males and matched for age and IQ. ADHD and ASD diagnoses were made according to the DSM-IV criteria and supported by the Conners 3^rd Edition scale – parent version and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), respectively.

Results: at the C-AQ, the ADHD and ASD group both showed significantly higher scores compared to the TYP group, with the ASD group showing significantly higher scores compared with the ADHD group. At the C-EQ the ADHD and ASD groups showed comparable scores with each other and significantly lower scores compared to TYP children.

Conclusions: our results show that ADHD children display significantly higher autistic traits and lower empathy compared to typically developing children.