Does compassion affect shame emotions and mental health in individuals with ASD traits

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between compassion and mental health in people with and without ASD tendencies through an internet questionnaire survey, and to consider the differences that arise. If it becomes clear that compassion is related to shame and mental health in people with high ASD tendencies, the possibility of a compassion-based approach to ASD will increase. Furthermore, if differences in compassion are found between with and without ASD tendencies, it will also suggest points to consider when approaching for ASD. PROCEDURE: A web-based study was conducted with a sample of the general Japanese adult population (N = 350). We categorized 41 individuals scoring 33 or more on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) as having high ASD traits. RESULTS: The results of a t-test indicated that individuals with high ASD traits tend to experience characteristically more shame than low ASD traits. Furthermore, the results of correlation analysis and path analysis revealed that perceiving compassionate action from others may be useful in alleviating shame, regardless of the ASD traits.