The relationship between sex, empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits in primary school children
The relationship between sex, empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits in primary school children
Author(s): Marina Janković-Nikolić, Nenad P. Glumbić, Tatjana Mentus-KandićSubject(s): School education, Developmental Psychology, Personality Psychology, Clinical psychology
Published by: Društvo psihologa Srbije
Keywords: empathizing; systemizing; Hypersystemizing theory; autism
Summary/Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between sex, empathy, systemizing, and autistic traits in primary school children. The sample included 353 primary school children aged 7-11 years. The children’s versions of the Empathy Quotient – EQ-C, Systemizing Quotient – SQ-C, and children’s version of the Autism Spectrum Quotient - AQ– C were used as primary outcome measures. Girls had higher empathy, while boys had higher autistic traits. Empathy and systemizing were moderately positively correlated, but both were good predictors of autistic traits. The effect of sex on autistic traits was mediated by empathy as well as by the difference between systemizing and empathy. These results partially support assumptions of the Empathizing-Systemizing theory and the Hypersystemizing theory of autism, which should be further evaluated in a population with the autism spectrum disorder.
Journal: Psihologija
- Issue Year: 56/2023
- Issue No: 4
- Page Range: 431-449
- Page Count: 19
- Language: English, Serbian
