Empathy or Not?

Lately, I’ve been feeling under the weather with a persistent cold.  Last Wednesday morning, sitting with my son as he ate breakfast, I started sniffling on and off.  He said, “Mommy, do you need to blow your nose?”  Anxiously rushing him along, I said, “No, not yet.”  He asked if I had a cold.  When I responded that I did, he said, “Well, I hope you feel better.”

Is this empathy? Empathy is defined as “Identification with and understanding of another’s feelings, situation, and motives,” according to Webster’s II New College Dictionary. 

One of the characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is problems with empathy.  For instance, in a 2004 study by researchers at the University of Cambridge, adults with and without Asperger’s syndrome (AS) or high-functioning autism (HFA) filled out questionnaires including items on empathy.  They found 81 percent of the adults with AS/HFA scored equal to or fewer than 30 points out of 80 compared with 12 percent of adults without AS/HFA.

However, some studies suggest that adults with autism may lack a type of empathy.   In a 2007 study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, researchers at New York University School of Medicine tested adults with and without Asperger's syndrome by measures of empathy and theory of mind including the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). 

The adults with AS scored lower on theory of mind and cognitive empathy than healthy subjects. But there was no difference between the adults with and without AS on an affective empathy scale of the IRI for empathic concern.  In addition, the AS adults scored higher on another scale regarding personal distress compared with those without AS.  

What’s more, other studies suggest that children—particularly boys—with ASD may report feelings of empathy but difficulties with cognitive perspective-taking (i.e. understanding another person’s point of view).  Still, some of this research is limited and further analysis is needed. 

Maybe my son recognizes a rule-based moral code regarding colds (e.g. a sniffle means that a person has a cold) and responds accordingly.  Or perhaps he is reacting to my familiar facial cues of discomfort.  I refuse to draw any conclusions.

But it adds more dimension as my husband and I flesh out our son’s IEP, putting more emphasis on perspective-taking. And day by day, I am encouraged that, he may recognize the signs of pain and hurt in other people and eventually, he will respond to it. 

Helping Hearts and Minds

Heartsong is a New-York based non-profit organization that provides art and music therapy to special needs children including my five-year-old son.  The organization will hold its 20^th Anniversary Benefit on April 20^th.  For more information and ways to donate or volunteer, please visit their website at heartsong.org.  Here’s a look at some of the great services they provide:


Heartsong Is... from Marion Anderson on Vimeo.

Full Inclusion vs. Special Ed

A new year brings a new onslaught of doctor’s appointments and progress reports.  First up:  a status update with our developmental pediatrician regarding our son’s kindergarten inclusion class.

The school year has been pretty uneventful so far—a few bumps here and there—but it did start off with a little clamor.  On the first day of school, my husband and I overheard a mother frantically complain to another parent regarding the inclusion class.  “I have nothing against those students.  But if they don’t move my daughter, I’m sending her to private school!”

Although this woman didn’t know my son or his classmates, she already formed an impression of their abilities. It didn’t matter that my son could read or identify shapes and colors before his second birthday.  Or that he was already adding and subtracting double-digit numbers.  All that mattered to that woman was that he was one of “those” students.

Many studies suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder may benefit from placement in inclusion classes including more social interaction and engagement.  However, factors such as the intensity and duration of early intervention treatment may influence whether a child is placed in a fully inclusive or mainstream environment.

What’s more, neurotypical children may react positively to sharing a class with other types of students.  In a 2000 study by researchers at Georgia State University, kindergarten students with and without autism were paired together in peer-buddy groups.   After completing the program, they found that the students with autism acquired more social skills.  

In addition, the program helped the nondisabled students develop their play skills. “Teachers reported that the intervention was also helpful for the typically developing students in the class who were shy and had trouble making friends," the authors write.

Still, some research suggests that general education classes may be detrimental for some students with ASD without proper support or preparation.

Bottom Line:  inclusion classes aren’t for everyone.  But everyone has the right to that option, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Or whatever constitutes a least restrictive learning environment for your child.  And inclusion alone isn’t a panacea for children with ASD, particularly as social cues become more complicated and abstract.

Perhaps my son wouldn’t have been as prepared for this class without the two years of special-ed preschool that harnessed social skills such as initiating conversation, turn-taking or parallel play.

But conceivably, he may have an advantage over some children and adults in academics and other social nuances including glimmers of empathy (e.g. “Did you have a good night's rest?”) and plenty of warm hugs.