Perceptions of distress in young children with autism compared to typically developing children: A cultural comparison between Japan and Italy

This study investigates how adults in two contrasting cultures (Italian and Japanese) perceive episodes of crying of typically developing (TD) children and children with Autism Disorder (AD). Although cries of children with AD have been reported to elicit more distress in Western cultures, it is not known whether similar findings hold in Eastern cultures. In Experiment 1, we artificially modified structural parameters (fundamental frequency, duration of pauses, waveform modulation) of cries and asked Italian and Japanese adults to judge levels of expressed and felt distress in the cries. In Experiment 2, we asked Italian and Japanese adults to report these levels of distress on hearing cries of AD and TD children. In both cultures, cries with higher fundamental frequency and shorter pause durations were judged more distressing and distressed and observers perceived cries of children with AD as more distressing and distressed than cries of TD children. The similar responses in adults from two contrasting societies constitute evidence that reactions to cries of children with AD might be universal.

► Crying episodes with high fundamental frequency and short pauses are perceived as distressing and distressed in both Italy and Japan.
► Episodes of crying of children with autism tend to be considered more distressed and distressing than those of typically developing children.
► Contrasting adults in two different societies (Italy and Japan) constitutes a strong test of hypotheses that atypical responses to AD episodes of crying might be universal.