Empathy and behavior in children affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders

Many studies have already shown that individuals suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) present low levels of empathy: in fact, reduced emotional reciprocity is considered a clinically significant indicator of autistic functioning. We decided to investigate the role of empathy in determining pathological behaviors in children affected by ASD considering parents' point of view and to evaluate the presence of differences between mothers and fathers' perception of their child's empathy and behaviors.