Exploring the interactions between autistic traits, alexithymia and empathy: A network analysis

Abstract

Altered empathy is highly prevalent in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is closely related to social impairments. However, the relationships between autistic traits and various dimensions of empathy remain controversial. Alexithymia might play a pivotal role in this relationship, given its role in the social-emotional process and high co-occurrence with ASD. The current study employed a network analysis approach to investigate the intricate relationships between autistic traits, alexithymia, and empathy in 1223 college students. Results indicated that difficulties in identifying and describing feelings and communication were crucial bridging nodes of the co-occurrence of autistic traits and alexithymia. The self- and other-oriented components of empathy exhibited different patterns in their relationships with autistic traits and alexithymia. Self-oriented personal distress may have positive interactions with difficulties in communication and emotional identification, as well as difficulty in attention shifting. In contrast, other-centered cognitive empathy and empathic concern may negatively interact with external-oriented thinking. Our results highlight the potential benefits of interventions targeting emotion awareness, language skills, and attention switching in improving empathy and social interaction in individuals with ASD.