The present study examined the similarity hypothesis for empathy among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits. The participants, 171 college students (91 men and 80 women, average age 19.8 years) completed three scales: (a) Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), (b) Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), (c) Empathy Responses Scale, and scores measuring the participants’ perceived similarity to the character of an individual with autism spectrum disorder traits (character A) or without autism spectrum traits (character B). The perspective-taking, fantasy, and empathic concern scores on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index of the participants with high Autism Spectrum Quotient scores were significantly lower than those of the participants with low Autism Spectrum Quotient scores. However, the personal distress scores on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index of the participants with high Autism Spectrum Quotient scores were considerably higher than those of the participants with low Autism Spectrum Quotient scores. These results, which are consistent with previous studies among individuals with autism spectrum disorder, suggest that individuals with strong autism spectrum disorder traits seem to have difficulty understanding other people’s perspective and feel distressed about others experiencing problems. Furthermore, among the participants with low and with high Autism Spectrum Quotient scores, the empathic concern scores for the participants who evaluated themselves as similar to an individual with autism spectrum disorder were significantly higher than those who evaluated themselves as dissimilar from such an individual. Therefore, the present findings support the similarity hypothesis for empathy among adolescents with autism spectrum disorder traits. Future studies should investigate whether the tendencies observed in the present study are also observed among individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a disability with characteristic communication and social skill deficits. People around individuals with autism spectrum disorder who do not also have an intellectual disability have trouble realizing that those individuals have difficulties, which, in turn, may affect the psychosocial experiences of the siblings of the individuals with autism spectrum disorder. In addition, adolescent siblings of people with autism spectrum disorder form their values through their experiences at home and in society. However, since each sibling’s situation is highly individualized, their experiences must be clarified. The present study aimed to elucidate how siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder understand their sibling’s disability. Factors that may influence the process are also examined. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three adolescents who had a sibling with autism spectrum disorder without an intellectual disability. The Trajectory Equifinality Model was used in the analysis to find commonalities and variations in the processes. The results suggested that, as a commonality, the siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder accepted their sibling’s presence, irrespective of the presence of a disability. In addition, various social factors, including adverse experiences, appeared to affect their understanding of their sibling. This finding highlights the importance of enhancing awareness of disabilities among individuals who have siblings with autism spectrum disorder. Additionally, during adolescence, siblings of individuals with autism spectrum disorder develop diverse perspectives concerning their sibling’s disability, relationships, future prospects, family, and social understanding of disabilities at large. Given the individualized nature of siblings’ experiences and values, it is important to consider individual’s unique circumstances when providing support. Moreover, comprehensive support for the entire family is essential. More case studies should continue to be accumulated.

Seriation tasks promote the development of key concepts that form the basis for understanding numbers. However, seriation tasks, such as comparing sticks, differ greatly from visual tasks in which the whole is grasped at a glance, and from tactile-motor tasks in which the whole is perceived successively. For the present study, seriation tasks were created that used cup-stacking tasks in which the correctness of the order was fed back by stacking. The purpose was to examine the difficulty of cup-stacking tasks and to analyze task execution strategies. The analysis was conducted in terms of (a) the difficulty of the cup-stacking tasks, (b) factors affecting the difficulty, and (c) strategies in comparison with Piaget’s developmental stage of seriation. The results suggested that five cups were more difficult to stack than three cups, that presenting all the cups at the same time was more difficult than handing them to the participants one by one, and that it is necessary to consider the presentation method depending on the number of cups. In addition, the present analysis of the development of seriation in children with blindness using the cup-stacking task followed the same sequence as Piaget’s developmental stage. The findings of the present study may be applicable to the teaching and evaluation of seriation in children with blindness.

In Japan, higher education institutions such as universities are increasingly mindful of the need to support students with disabilities, including those with developmental disorders. However, few previous studies have focused on support for such students in Japan’s professional training colleges (specialized training colleges offering post-secondary courses). In the present study, staff at 280 professional training colleges completed a questionnaire about overall support at their college for students with disabilities, and about the enrollment of and support for students with higher levels of traits associated with developmental disorders. The results revealed that many of the participating professional training colleges, in contrast with universities, have neither provided dedicated divisions, bodies, or specialized personnel to support students with disabilities, nor formulated response guidelines, basic policies, or regulations. Furthermore, the results suggested that the activities and initiatives carried out at professional training colleges for students with disabilities were inadequate compared to those at universities. Around 80% of the professional training colleges reported that they had enrolled students who, regardless of whether they had an official medical diagnosis, displayed higher levels of traits associated with some kind of developmental disorder. However, some of those colleges reported that they provided no adequate support to assist such students in their daily life. Thus, support for students with higher levels of traits associated with developmental disorders remains inadequate in professional training colleges in Japan. More needs to be done to improve the level of support.