The Mediating Role of Social Interactions and Early Psychopathological Symptoms in the Relationship Between Empathy and Prosociality in Young Children with ASD and Neurotypical Peers.

Researchers studied how empathy and helping behaviours connect in young children with and without autism. They found that while all children show links between feeling empathy and helping others, the pathways differ. For autistic children, anxiety played a key role - higher anxiety actually strengthened the connection between empathy and helping behaviours. For neurotypical children, social interactions were more important.

This suggests autistic children may develop prosocial skills differently, with anxiety playing a unique role in their social development.

This study examined relationships between empathy, prosocial behaviour, social interactions, and early psychopathological symptoms in 506 children aged 18-48 months (92 with ASD, 414 neurotypical). Using parent-completed questionnaires, researchers found direct relationships between empathy and prosocial behaviour in both groups, but different mediation patterns. In children with ASD, anxiety (internalising behaviours) was the only significant mediator between empathy and prosociality, with higher anxiety strengthening this relationship. In neurotypical children, social interactions strengthened the empathy-prosociality relationship, while externalising behaviours weakened it.

The findings suggest different pathways for prosocial development in autistic versus neurotypical children, highlighting the complex role of anxiety in autism.

Findings suggest social skills interventions for autistic children should consider the complex role of anxiety, which may actually facilitate prosocial behaviour development. Traditional approaches focusing primarily on social interaction skills may need adaptation. Understanding these different developmental pathways could inform more targeted, individualized intervention strategies for supporting prosocial development in autism.

Study relies solely on parent-report questionnaires rather than direct observation. Cross-sectional design prevents causal inferences. The study type is not specified, limiting methodological assessment. Sample size breakdown shows imbalanced groups (92 ASD vs 414 neurotypical), which may affect comparability of findings between groups.

This study examined the relationship between empathy, prosocial behaviour, social interactions and early psychopathological symptoms (internalising and externalising behaviours) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and typically developing (TD) children. A total of 506 parents of children aged 18-48 months participated in this study. The parents of 92 children with ASD and 414 neurotypical children completed the Empathy Questionnaire, the Child Prosocial Behaviour Questionnaire, and the Emotional and Social Development Questionnaire. The results confirmed the direct relationship between empathy and prosocial behaviour in both groups.

However, the findings showed a different pattern of the indirect relationship between empathy and prosociality through the social dimensions in the children with ASD compared to their typically developing peers. In the children with ASD, there was only one significant indirect path from empathy to prosocial behaviour - through internalising behaviours (anxiety). Anxiety also played a moderating role in this relationship. The higher the anxiety, the stronger the relationship between empathy and prosociality.

In the neurotypical group, social interactions were a significant mediator, strengthening the relationship between empathy and prosocial behaviour. Externalising behaviours weakened this relationship. Intergroup and gender differences were also examined. These findings may have practical implications for social skills training programmes based on behavioural interventions by highlighting the importance of prosocial behaviour for social interaction and protection against psychopathological problems in children with autism and typically developing children.