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Empathy, Psychopathy and Autism: Behavioural Associations and the Role of an Oxytocin Receptor Polymorphism in a Non-clinical Adult Population

S

St Mary's University College

Status

Completed

Conditions

Psychopathy
Empathy
Autism

Study type

Observational

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT04746027
SMEC_2016-17_092

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is an investigation into the associations between psychopathic traits, autistic traits and empathy (cognitive and affective) in the general population as measured using three self report questionnaires and one behavioural task. Participants will also be genotyped for OXTR rs53576 to assess whether this mutation associates with any of the behavioural traits investigated.

Full description

In clinical populations with psychopathy or autism, associations with different forms of empathy have been found. An increase in autistic traits has been found to be associated with a decrease in cognitive empathy traits but no difference in affective empathy traits, while an increase in psychopathic traits has been found to be associated with a decrease in both cognitive and affective empathy traits. The current investigation is to establish whether this previously observed relationship between cognitive empathy, affective empathy, psychopathic traits and autistic traits found in clinical populations is also found in a non-clinical population. This will be assessed by three self report questionnaires and one behavioural task (as described in 'Outcome Measures'). This investigation will also assess the potential link between of all of the traits measured and a specific SNP on the Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR rs53576) to establish whether this mutation is associated with any of these behaviours.

Enrollment

126 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • At least 18 years of age at time of participation
  • Proficient English reading comprehension

Exclusion criteria

  • Current or previous diagnosis of a psychopathy, autism or related conditions.
  • Not proficient in English reading comprehension

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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