Developmental Changes in Empathic Concern and Self-Understanding in Toddlers at Genetic Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The ASD group was small: 20 toddlers received a later diagnosis. The sample was mostly Caucasian and non-Hispanic (87%), and most parents had at least a college degree; low-risk parents were more educated than parents of toddlers with ASD. Not all children attended every visit: data were available for 145 toddlers at 22 months, 157 at 28 months, and 159 at 34 months, and 136 children were seen at all three visits. The crying baby probe was not valid at 34 months, so growth on that measure could not be tested beyond 28 months. Analyses with Mullen verbal scores changed some group differences to non-significance, so the pattern was partly sensitive to language development. Self-understanding was measured by parent report, not direct observation. The rating scales may not capture all developmental variation between 22 and 34 months. This was an observational study of naturally occurring responses, not a treatment trial.

The paper states that the authors have no conflicts of interest. It does not report a funding source.

Do not read low empathy at 22 months as proof that a high-risk toddler will have autism. The high-risk toddlers without a diagnosis caught up with low-risk toddlers by 34 months, and the study had only 20 toddlers with a later diagnosis.