Showing empathy is an essential social skill that can help build stronger relationships for children with autism. Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not have the natural ability to understand and show empathy that many of us take for granted. Helping your child with autism show empathy can significantly improve their relationships with family and peers. A social skills group therapy program provides a safe and encouraging environment where your child will practice new social skills to show empathy.
At Camp Worth, we help teen boys and girls aged 11-17 develop social skills through social skills group therapy. Your child will work with certified behavioral therapists on learning how to recognize and show empathy for various social settings. They then get to practice these skills with their peers under direct supervision. Learn more about helping your child with autism to show empathy, call 855.915.2545 today to speak with our team about our autism treatment programs, or fill out our online contact form.
Why Do Children with Autism Struggle Showing Empathy
A common symptom of ASD is the inability to show empathy for others. They are often perceived as unfeeling and cannot feel any emotion. In truth, children with autism can experience more intense feelings but lack the ability to express them.
Empathy involves two separate processes. Cognitive empathy, the ability to recognize and understand another’s state of mind, is where many children with autism struggle. Research shows that children with autism do not focus on the eyes and mouth, which is vital for picking up on how others are feeling.
Affective empathy is the ability to understand the emotions of others and give an appropriate response. Children with autism may intuitively pick up what others are feeling but cannot understand why they are feeling it and how to express those feelings.
Children with autism can learn how to read emotions and show empathy. At Camp Worth, we can help teach your son or daughter these skills that will lead to stronger peer and family relationships and improved empathy skills for children with autism.
Helping Your Child with Autism Show Empathy
There are some ways that you can continue your child’s development at home.
Some of these methods include:
- Visual aids – You can use visual aids to help attach emotion to different facial expressions. Draw happy and sad faces along with the word describing the feeling. As you build on their empathy skills, add more complex emotions like worried or anxious.
- Role-playing – The best way to teach your child with autism empathy is through role-playing. Practice different scenarios where you are hurt or worried using your visual aids and your own expressions. Write down some appropriate questions, like “Are you OK”? Or “I’m sorry you are upset.” and attach them to the visual aids where they can see them daily.
- Provide positive reinforcement – As your child interacts with others and shows the appropriate empathetic response, reward them with praise like, “That was very kind of you to ask if they are OK.” Give them a favorite treat or extra time with a toy or activity they enjoy whenever they do something right.
- Practice makes perfect – The more you work with your child on their empathy skills, the better. You can practice the skills they learn during therapy at home with your family members. They will benefit from more confidence in their skills as you create a stronger family bond.
Find Support for Helping Your Child with Autism to Show Empathy at Camp Worth
We help teen boys and girls develop their empathy skills at Camp Worth through our social skills group therapy. We help them develop their communication skills to feel more comfortable interacting with peers and the appropriate responses for different social settings. For more information on helping your child with autism to show empathy, complete our online form or call 855.915.2545 today to learn more about improving empathy skills for children with autism.
