Empathic responsiveness and helping behaviours in young children with Williams syndrome

Abstract

Findings suggest that the heightened emotional responsivity displayed by children with WS or DS does not readily translate into other forms of socially competent behaviour. The complex relations between empathy and prosocial behaviours in typical and atypical development are discussed.

Williams Syndrome, Human Self-Domestication, and Language Evolution

“…Compared to less domesticated apes, humans and bonobos have a larger and more diversified posterior OFC (Rilling et al, 2012; Hare and Yamamoto, 2018), which might explain their heightened sensitivity to the mental states of others (see Hare and Yamamoto, 2018 for discussion). Overall, these differences might account of the fact that although subjects with WS are initially very friendly, difficulties with empathy make it difficult for them to sustain social relationships (Plesa Skwerer and Tager-Flusberg, 2016).…”

Williams syndrome, human self-domestication, and language evolution

“…Hence, they eagerly strike up conversations or initiate interaction with other people, including strangers. That said, they also experience difficulties for interpreting social cues, sustaining social relationships, and converting empathy in helpful behavior or other types of socially appropriate responses (Plesa and Tager-Flusberg, 2016). This might explain the high prevalence of anxiety disorders in people with WS and the reported feelings of isolation despite their attempts to connect with other people (Leyfer et al, 2009;Jarvinen et.…”

Siblings of children with Williams syndrome: Correlates of psychosocial adjustment and sibling relationship quality

“…First, WS is associated with a characteristic social phenotype which includes a strong interest in people ('hypersociability'), high levels of affective expression, and a greater tendency to approach strangers when compared to neurotypical children or children with other developmental disabilities of a similar age (Doyle, Bellugi, Korenberg, & Graham, 2004;Hauser-Cram, Howell-Moneta, & Young, 2011;Jones et al, 2000;Järvinen-Pasley et al 2008;Riby, Kirk, Hanley, & Riby, 2014;Weisman et al, 2015). Additionally, young children with WS show higher levels of empathic concern than developmentally-matched controls (Plesa Skwerer & Tager-Flusberg, 2016). isolation, and atypicalities in social cognition and interpretation of social cues (Davies, Udwin & Howlin, 1998;Riby, Hancock, Jones, & Hanley, 2013;Weisman et al, 2017).…”