The Children's Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient: Sex Differences in Typical Development and in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Bonnie Auyeung; Sally Wheelwright; Carrie Allison; Matthew Atkinson; Nelum Samarawickrema; Simon Baron-Cohen

doi:10.1007/s10803-009-0772-x

The Children's Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient: Sex Differences in Typical Development and in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Bonnie Auyeung^*, Sally Wheelwright, Carrie Allison, Matthew Atkinson, Nelum Samarawickrema, Simon Baron-Cohen

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ-C) were developed and administered to n = 1,256 parents of typically developing children, aged 4-11 years. Both measures showed good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency. As predicted, girls scored significantly higher on the EQ-C, and boys scored significantly higher on the SQ-C. A further sample of n = 265 children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) scored significantly lower on the EQ-C, and significantly higher on the SQ-C, compared to typical boys. Empathy and systemizing in children show similar patterns of sex differences to those observed in adults. Children with ASC tend towards a `hyper-masculinized' profile, irrespective of sex.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1509-1521
Number of pages	13
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Volume	39
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-009-0772-x
Publication status	Published - Nov 2009

Keywords

HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM
SPATIAL ABILITIES
Sex differences
MALE BRAIN THEORY
FETAL TESTOSTERONE
Systemizing
PRENATAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS
Empathizing
CAST CHILDHOOD ASPERGER
NORMAL ADULTS
SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
Autism
CONGENITAL ADRENAL-HYPERPLASIA
MENTAL ROTATION

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title = "The Children's Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient: Sex Differences in Typical Development and in Autism Spectrum Conditions",

abstract = "Children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ-C) were developed and administered to n = 1,256 parents of typically developing children, aged 4-11 years. Both measures showed good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency. As predicted, girls scored significantly higher on the EQ-C, and boys scored significantly higher on the SQ-C. A further sample of n = 265 children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) scored significantly lower on the EQ-C, and significantly higher on the SQ-C, compared to typical boys. Empathy and systemizing in children show similar patterns of sex differences to those observed in adults. Children with ASC tend towards a `hyper-masculinized' profile, irrespective of sex.",

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author = "Bonnie Auyeung and Sally Wheelwright and Carrie Allison and Matthew Atkinson and Nelum Samarawickrema and Simon Baron-Cohen",

year = "2009",

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doi = "10.1007/s10803-009-0772-x",

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volume = "39",

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journal = "Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders",

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T1 - The Children's Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient: Sex Differences in Typical Development and in Autism Spectrum Conditions

AU - Auyeung, Bonnie

AU - Wheelwright, Sally

AU - Allison, Carrie

AU - Atkinson, Matthew

AU - Samarawickrema, Nelum

AU - Baron-Cohen, Simon

PY - 2009/11

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N2 - Children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ-C) were developed and administered to n = 1,256 parents of typically developing children, aged 4-11 years. Both measures showed good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency. As predicted, girls scored significantly higher on the EQ-C, and boys scored significantly higher on the SQ-C. A further sample of n = 265 children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) scored significantly lower on the EQ-C, and significantly higher on the SQ-C, compared to typical boys. Empathy and systemizing in children show similar patterns of sex differences to those observed in adults. Children with ASC tend towards a `hyper-masculinized' profile, irrespective of sex.

AB - Children's versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-C) and Systemizing Quotient (SQ-C) were developed and administered to n = 1,256 parents of typically developing children, aged 4-11 years. Both measures showed good test-retest reliability and high internal consistency. As predicted, girls scored significantly higher on the EQ-C, and boys scored significantly higher on the SQ-C. A further sample of n = 265 children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) scored significantly lower on the EQ-C, and significantly higher on the SQ-C, compared to typical boys. Empathy and systemizing in children show similar patterns of sex differences to those observed in adults. Children with ASC tend towards a `hyper-masculinized' profile, irrespective of sex.

KW - HIGH-FUNCTIONING AUTISM

KW - SPATIAL ABILITIES

KW - Sex differences

KW - MALE BRAIN THEORY

KW - FETAL TESTOSTERONE

KW - Systemizing

KW - PRENATAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS

KW - Empathizing

KW - CAST CHILDHOOD ASPERGER

KW - NORMAL ADULTS

KW - SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

KW - Autism

KW - CONGENITAL ADRENAL-HYPERPLASIA

KW - MENTAL ROTATION

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JO - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

JF - Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders

SN - 0162-3257

IS - 11

ER -

The Children's Empathy Quotient and Systemizing Quotient: Sex Differences in Typical Development and in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Abstract

Keywords

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