Moderating role of motivational preference in the relationship between attachment quality and emotional empathy among autistic caregivers.

Researchers studied 65 autistic caregivers in Nigeria to understand how their motivation styles affect the connection between how they form relationships (attachment) and their ability to feel others' emotions (empathy). They found that motivation style only mattered for one specific type of attachment pattern called 'ambivalent merger.' This suggests that different autistic caregivers may experience empathy differently depending on their relationship patterns and what motivates them.

This study examined how motivational preferences influence the relationship between attachment quality and emotional empathy in 65 autistic caregivers from Nigeria. Using validated scales and regression analysis, researchers found that motivational preference moderated only the relationship between ambivalent merger attachment and emotional empathy, but not other attachment dimensions. The ambivalent merger attachment style predicted emotional empathy across all levels of motivational preference (low, moderate, high), though the strength of this relationship varied. Other attachment dimensions (security, avoidance, ambivalent worry) were not moderated by motivational preference in their relationship to emotional empathy.

Findings suggest that understanding autistic caregivers' attachment styles and motivational preferences may help tailor support strategies. The differential moderation effects indicate that one-size-fits-all approaches may be less effective than individualized interventions considering these psychological factors.

Single study from one Nigerian school setting limits generalizability. Small sample size (65 participants) reduces statistical power. Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. No comparison with non-autistic caregivers. Limited demographic diversity.

The study investigated the moderating role of motivational preference in the relationship between attachment quality and emotional empathy among sixty-five autistic caregivers (42 males and 23 females). Participants were drawn from Therapeutic Inclusive Nursery, Primary, and Secondary School in Abakpa Nike, Enugu State, Nigeria. Attachment Quality Scale, Work Preference Inventory Scale, and Emotional Empathy Scale were used in the study. Hayes PROCESS macro regression-based, path-analytical framework was employed to analyse the data.

Motivational preference and the four dimensions of attachment quality predicted emotional empathy. Motivational preference did not moderate the relationship between security, avoidance and ambivalent worry dimensions of attachment quality and emotional empathy. Motivational preference moderated the relationship between ambivalent merger and emotional empathy (= -.14,.15,= <.05). Ambivalent merger predicted emotional empathy for those with low motivational preference (= 7.22,= <.05), moderate motivational preference (= 3.07,= < .05), and for those with high motivational preference (= 1.01,= <.05).

Implications and limitations of the findings were discussed and suggestions for further studies were made.