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Yumnah T. Khan, Alex Tsompanidis, Luning Sun, Carrie Allison, Simon Baron-Cohen
(2026).
The Empathy Quotient and Systemising Quotient for Toddlers: Development and Validation.
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
- Publication date
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23 Jul 2026
- Identifier
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10.1007/s10803-026-07427-9
- Authors
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Yumnah T. Khan,
Alex Tsompanidis,
Luning Sun,
Carrie Allison,
Simon Baron-Cohen
- Source
- Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
- Reference type
- article
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Metadata source
- crossref
Abstract
Abstract Purpose Empathy and systemising are traits that show on-average differences between autistic and non-autistic groups and have informed major theoretical frameworks of autism. While these constructs have been researched extensively in older age groups, no equivalent questionnaire-based measures exist for toddlers. Methods Here, we developed and validated toddler (T) versions of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-T) and Systemising Quotient (SQ-T) in 1,005 toddlers (572 males, 433 females) aged 1.5 to 4 years (mean = 32.75 months). Parents completed these online along with the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT), which measures autistic traits. Results Results indicated that (a) the EQ-T and SQ-T show good reliability, (b) EQ-T scores negatively predicted and SQ-T scores positively predicted autistic traits, and (c) on average, EQ-T scores were higher in females (d = 0.16), while no significant sex differences were observed in SQ-T scores (d = −0.09). Conclusion These newly validated measures open various further avenues to better understand the early profiles and developmental pathways associated with autism.
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