# Empathic Disequilibrium in Autistic Traits and CU Traits: Investigating Empathy Imbalance in Children

## TL;DR

This study explores how empathy imbalances relate to autistic and callous-unemotional traits in children.

## Contribution

It introduces empathic disequilibrium as a framework to differentiate emotional profiles in children with autistic or CU traits.

## Key findings

- Autistic traits are associated with affective empathy dominance.
- Callous-unemotional traits correlate with reduced empathy and lower empathic disequilibrium.
- Age positively correlates with both autistic and CU traits.

## Abstract

The current study investigated the relationship between CU traits, autistic traits, and empathic disequilibrium, which reflects the imbalance between cognitive empathy (CE) and affective empathy (AE). Based on previous findings with adults, we hypothesized that children with elevated CU or autistic traits exhibit either AE or CE dominance in their empathy profiles. A total of 163 children aged 4 to 10 years (Mage = 7.30) participated in the study and were evaluated using reliable parent-report instruments. Polynomial regression with response surface analysis (PRRSA) was used to analyse the relationships between empathic disequilibrium and trait scores, while adjusting for age, sex, and overall empathy levels. The results indicated a notable association between AE dominance and autistic traits, reinforcing previous findings that suggest a different developmental profile of children with autistic characteristics. Conversely, lower levels of empathic disequilibrium (both AE and CE dominance) were linked to CU traits. CU traits were also related to a general reduction in empathy across both empathy types, indicating a broader empathic deficit. Additionally, age showed a positive correlation with both CU and autistic traits, while no gender differences were observed for either trait. These findings imply that empathic disequilibrium could serve as a valuable framework for understanding the emotional profiles of children with autistic traits and CU traits.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10802-025-01405-y.