Empathy Development: Typical and Atypical Tracks, From Infancy to Early Childhood

Empathy, a cornerstone of human social functioning, begins its developmental journey early in life, shaped by a complex interplay of neurobiological, emotional, cognitive, and social influences. This article offers a comprehensive review of the typical and atypical developmental pathways of empathy from infancy to early childhood. Challenging traditional models that positioned empathy's emergence in toddlerhood, recent evidence suggests that early markers of empathic concern and cognitive understanding of others' distress are observable as early as the first year of life. The review highlights how neurobiological maturation, emotion regulation, and early caregiver-infant interactions converge to support the development of empathy. It also examines how deviations from typical trajectories-such as in autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-manifest as early deficits in social attention, emotional sharing, and prosocial behavior. Identifying prodromal markers of ASD through impairments in empathy manifested in young infants' responses to distress, the article underscores the critical role of early detection and intervention in mitigating long-term socio-emotional challenges. By bridging developmental science and clinical research, this review highlights the significance of empathy as both a developmental milestone and a diagnostic lens for understanding early socio-emotional dysfunctions. Fostering empathy development is proposed as a crucial factor in promoting adaptive social outcomes across diverse developmental profiles.