Development of group favoritism in children with neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

BACKGROUND: By violating rules, people punish offenders with a different intensity if they are a member of their group or not. We study the development of this behavior in an ecological way in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the development of group favoritism in children with neurodevelopmental disorder, especially subjects with autism spectrum disorder to better understand the evolution, development and decision-making strategy used by this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, analytical study, with paired samples by gender and intellectual level, carried out in pediatric-aged subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders. Participants watched two videos. In the first, a soccer player from their country committed a goal with his hand; in the second, a player from another country committed the same infraction against the participant's country. Some watched first one video and then the other: others the other way around. RESULTS: Ninety-nine subjects were included and divided into group 1: under 9 years of age (n = 34) and group 2: over 9 years of age (n = 65). Group 1 showed negative feelings in both videos (p = 0.13). Group 2 showed more negative feeling in video 2 (p < 0.001) which correlated with age. No relationship was found with gender, intellectual level, or diagnoses in group 1. Subjects with autism spectrum disorders older than 9 years also reported negative feelings in both videos. The order of the videos did not influence the results. CONCLUSION: Group favoritism is manifested in subjects with neurodevelopmental disorders, as in the typical population, over the age of 9 years. Subjects with autism spectrum disorders, regardless of age, tend to comply with rules without showing group favoritism, perhaps because of compromised theory of mind and executive functions.