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Fourie MM, Warton FL, Derrick-Sleigh T, Codrington H, Solms M, Decety J, Stein DJ. Childhood abuse and neglect are differentially related to perceived discrimination and structural change in empathy-related circuitry. Sci Rep 2025; 15:16361. [PMID: 40348824 PMCID: PMC12065813 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-00679-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2025] [Indexed: 05/14/2025] Open
Abstract
Behavioral studies indicate that adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are associated with altered empathic responding, but the neural mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. Given the significance of empathy in contexts marred by historical conflict and systemic inequality, work on these mechanisms is particularly important in such contexts. The current study extends previous work by (1) examining associations of different dimensions of ACE with volumetric change in empathy-related circuitry, (2) distinguishing between trait and state empathy, and (3) including perceived discrimination as an additional psychosocial stressor. Thirty-nine healthy South African adults from the general population (Mage = 40.6 years) underwent 3 T MRI. FreeSurfer v6.0 was used to extract predefined volumes subserving empathy. Results showed that childhood abuse and perceived discrimination were associated with reduced state empathic concern, whereas childhood neglect was associated with reduced trait cognitive empathy. Childhood abuse was furthermore associated with volumetric increases in frontolimbic (hippocampus, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)) and neocortical (superior frontal and temporal) regions subserving affective and cognitive empathy, and uniquely mediated the relationship between ACC volume and perceived discrimination. The association of ACE with altered empathic responding may thus be underpinned by specific circuitry reflective of adversity type, with childhood abuse contributing to heightened responsivity to socioemotional cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melike M Fourie
- Department of Surgery and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa.
| | - Fleur L Warton
- Biomedical Engineering Research Centre, Department of Human Biology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tess Derrick-Sleigh
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Hannah Codrington
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mark Solms
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Chicago, Chicago, USA
| | - Dan J Stein
- SAMRC Unit On Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Sun X, Liang D, Wu Y. Revisiting the Structure of the Chinese Version of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy and Its Relationships with Schizotypy and Paranoia Using Network Approaches. J Pers Assess 2025; 107:244-255. [PMID: 39231311 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2024.2397819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Empathy is predominantly assessed with self-report questionnaires. However, their structural validities were not well-supported. This study aimed to re-explore and refine the factor structure of the Chinese version of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and investigate the pathways linked between dimensions of empathy and schizotypy. Data from a valid sample of 1,360 community-dwelling adults (aged 18-35) were subjected to the exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and bootstrap EGA for factor retention. A goodness-of-fit evaluation was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Lastly, a Gaussian graphical model with sum scores of the resultant empathy dimensions, positive, negative, and disorganized schizotypy, and paranoia as nodes was estimated. Results supported a three-factor structure for the revised 20-item QCAE, demonstrating a good model fit. The new Online simulation subscale was associated with reduced disorganized schizotypy, whereas the new Perspective-taking subscale was associated with decreased disorganized schizotypy and increased positive schizotypy. The composite Affective empathy subscale was associated with decreased negative schizotypy and increased positive and disorganized schizotypy and paranoia. Overall, the revised QCAE demonstrated good structural validity, measuring three separable and internally cohesive factors of empathy. Each factor possessed unique and differential relationships with schizotypy dimensions that merit research and clinical attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Sun
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies, Hunan Normal University
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Hunan Normal University
| | - Dan Liang
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Hunan Normal University
| | - Yunxia Wu
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Hunan Normal University
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Lübke L, Krogmann D, Spitzer C. [Psychometric evaluation of the German version of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE)]. Psychother Psychosom Med Psychol 2024; 74:454-459. [PMID: 39197462 DOI: 10.1055/a-2366-9995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Empathy as a central element of social cognition plays a decisive role in various psychosocial areas and interpersonal dynamics, especially within the context of psychotherapy. Despite the controversy surrounding a standardized definition, empathy is generally regarded as a multidimensional concept that encompasses both cognitive and affective dimensions. This differentiation between cognitive and affective facets is addressed by a widely used and internationally well-established self-report measure of empathy, the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE). This study focuses on evaluating the psychometric properties of the German version of the QCAE. In a convenience sample (N=1300), the postulated confirmatory five-factor model showed an adequate fit to the underlying structure. The subscales of the QCAE exhibited satisfactory internal consistency and convergent validity with other instruments measuring empathy. Despite certain methodological limitations, our findings suggest that the German version of the QCAE is suitable as a reliable and valid instrument for measuring empathy. Further studies in population-representative samples and clinical populations are required before a clear recommendation regarding its utilization can be provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lübke
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsmedizin Rostock
| | - Diana Krogmann
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsmedizin Rostock
| | - Carsten Spitzer
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychosomatische Medizin und Psychotherapie, Universitätsmedizin Rostock
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Malcolm-Smith S, Pileggi LA, Lewis R. Measuring dispositional empathy in South African children. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2024; 37:e26. [PMID: 38659217 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2024.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Empathy is a key factor to examine in development, because of its predictive associations with both aggression and successful prosocial behaviour. However, established measures of empathy for Low-to-Middle Income Countries, including South Africa, are lacking. In children, parent-report measures are key. However, a local study examining empathy and aggression (Malcolm-Smith et al., 2015) found poor psychometric performance for a widely used parent-report measure of dispositional empathy, the Griffith Empathy Measure (GEM). We thus investigated which of two questionnaires measuring dispositional cognitive and affective empathy perform better in this context. METHOD We contrasted internal consistency reliability of a simplified version of the GEM (SGEM; n = 160) and a parent-report version of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE; n = 440) in a low-mid socio-economic status sample. Convergence between the measures and factor structure were also assessed. RESULTS The parent-report version of the QCAE performed well as a measure of child dispositional cognitive and affective empathy, with good reliability (overall α = 0.90 vs. SGEM α = .63), and confirmatory factor analysis supporting the two-factor structure. The SGEM's reliability and failure to correlate with QCAE indicated poor psychometric performance. CONCLUSION This is the first psychometric evaluation of the QCAE as a parent-report measure, and our results indicate that it should prove useful for future assessments of dispositional empathy in children across a variety of contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Malcolm-Smith
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lea-Ann Pileggi
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Raphaella Lewis
- Applied Cognitive Science and Experimental Neuropsychology Team, Department of Psychology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
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Campos C, Rocha NB, Barbosa F. Dissociating cognitive and affective empathy across psychopathy dimensions: The role of interoception and alexithymia. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1082965. [PMID: 37457066 PMCID: PMC10345207 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1082965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the associations between psychopathy dimensions (triarchic phenotypes and classical factors), empathy domains (cognitive and affective), and interoception (interoceptive attention and accuracy) while accounting for the putative role of alexithymia. A community sample (n = 515) completed an online survey encompassing: Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (boldness, meanness, disinhibition); Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (primary and secondary psychopathy); Body Perception Questionnaire (interoceptive attention); Interoceptive Accuracy Scale; Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Hierarchical linear regression models were implemented for hypothesis-driven analyses examining the associations between psychopathy, empathy, and interoception while controlling for sex, age, and alexithymia. Exploratory path models were employed to investigate alexithymia and/or cognitive empathy as mediators between interoception and psychopathy. Our results largely confirmed the postulated empathy profiles across psychopathy dimensions, as meanness and primary psychopathy displayed a broad empathy impairment, while disinhibition and secondary psychopathy were only associated with diminished cognitive empathy. Importantly, boldness displayed a unique pattern (enhanced cognitive empathy and reduced affective empathy), further reinforcing its importance within the constellation of psychopathy traits. Contrary to our hypotheses, self-perceived interoceptive attention and accuracy were not associated with either psychopathy dimension after controlling for alexithymia. However, interoceptive accuracy and alexithymia were associated with cognitive empathy, while alexithymia was also positively related to all psychopathy dimensions (as expected), despite the unexpected strong and negative association with boldness. Exploratory analyses suggested significant indirect effects (mediation) between interoceptive accuracy and psychopathy via alexithymia and/or cognitive empathy. These mediating effects must be interpreted with caution and future studies should be designed to formally test this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Campos
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Neurocognition Group|LabRP, School of Health, Center for Rehabilitation Research, Polytechnic University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Barbosa Rocha
- School of Health, Center for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research, Polytechnic University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Barbosa
- Laboratory of Neuropsychophysiology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Abstract
Theory of mind (ToM) impairment is associated with poor social functioning in some psychological disorders (e.g., autism and schizophrenia). ToM deficits have also been linked with offending behavior in the theoretical literature. However, no review has examined the empirical evidence for such a link. We carried out a systematic review to provide a critical overview of studies involving ToM ability in offenders. We included studies published in English that used an instrument to measure at least one aspect of ToM. Twenty-eight eligible studies were identified and coded. Our findings reveal a generally mixed literature. Taking study quality into account, our findings suggest that offenders and nonoffenders do not differ in their first-order ToM. For second-order ToM, findings are mixed, even when only the highest quality studies are examined. Studies exploring advanced ToM showed mixed results overall, though the highest quality research appeared to indicate that offenders have impairments in advanced ToM which means that they may have difficulty understanding various mental states such as pretense, white lies, irony, double bluffs, and sarcasm. We suggest that well-controlled future studies, which also measure other facets of ToM (e.g., distinguishing between cognitive and affective ToM or examining ToM content), are needed to fully understand the role of ToM in offending.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilda Karoğlu
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | | | - Caoilte Ó Ciardha
- School of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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Lanciano T, de Leonardis L, Curci A. The psychological effects of imprisonment: The role of cognitive, psychopathic and affective traits. EUROPES JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 18:262-278. [PMID: 36348818 PMCID: PMC9632560 DOI: 10.5964/ejop.3995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The present cross-sectional correlational study aimed to investigate a set of cognitive, affective, and personality traits impacting the psychological effects of imprisonment. Ninety-three male inmates filled out a battery including measures of intelligence, working memory, psychopathy, aggressiveness, anxious trait, emotionality, rumination styles, and empathy proneness. Inmates' psychological outcomes were conceptualized in terms of mood, anxiety, depression, and general health. Results showed that inmates with high cognitive abilities, psychopathic impulsivity, proactive aggression, personal distress and fantasy, anxious and negative emotionality are mainly prone to ill-being psychological outcomes. Contrariwise, the fearless dominance trait, positive emotionality and empathic concern ability seem to expose inmates to positive psychological outcomes. Reactive aggression and perspective taking seem to impact both positive and negative moods. Ruminative style was unrelated to psychological outcomes. These preliminary results provide an insight into which factors intervention programs should be based upon in order to enhance well-being and reduce distress among inmates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Lanciano
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Lidia de Leonardis
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
| | - Antonietta Curci
- Department of Education, Psychology, Communication, University of Bari ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy
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Marques AJ, Gomes Veloso P, Araújo M, de Almeida RS, Correia A, Pereira J, Queiros C, Pimenta R, Pereira AS, Silva CF. Impact of a Virtual Reality-Based Simulation on Empathy and Attitudes Toward Schizophrenia. Front Psychol 2022; 13:814984. [PMID: 35602736 PMCID: PMC9116500 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.814984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) has been identified as one of the most promising resources for developing empathy towards stigmatized groups as it allows individuals to experience a situation close to reality from another person’s perspective. This quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the impact on empathy, knowledge, and attitudes towards people with schizophrenia of a VR simulation that reproduces the experience of psychotic symptoms while performing a cognitive task compared with watching a 2D video and, thus, how these experiences could reduce stigma towards people diagnosed with schizophrenia. The sample comprised of 102 higher education health students, distributed by the experimental and control groups. The impact of the program was measured by completing multiple questionnaires on levels of empathy, attitudes, and mental health knowledge. Both methods (VR and 2D video) were, to a certain extent, effective. However, VR was more effective at eliciting attitudes and knowledge change compared to the control group. These findings suggest that not only VR but also 2D videos could be interesting strategies to enhance empathy and improve attitudes towards people with schizophrenia in higher education health students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio J Marques
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paulo Gomes Veloso
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Margarida Araújo
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Raquel Simões de Almeida
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Santa Maria Health School, Porto, Portugal
| | - António Correia
- Center for Rehabilitation Research, School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Javier Pereira
- CITIC Research Center, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Cristina Queiros
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Pimenta
- School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Portugal and CEISUC, University of Coimbra, Porto, Portugal
| | - Anabela S Pereira
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Carlos F Silva
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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The Relative Role of Knowledge and Empathy in Predicting Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behavior. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14084622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Planet Earth is undergoing unprecedented levels of environmental degradation and destruction at a global scale. Incentivizing people to adopt behaviors that are compatible with a sustainable future will help address the current ecological crisis. However, it is first necessary to understand the psychological drivers of pro-environmental behavior. Here, we examined whether greater levels of environmental knowledge and empathy predicted higher levels of pro-environmental behavior in an Australian population sample. We aimed to advance our understanding of the psychological variables that motivate people to act in pro-environmental ways, while also advancing the ongoing debate amongst conservation scientists regarding the relative importance of fostering empathy. Correlational analyses revealed that objective, verifiable knowledge was a strong predictor of pro-environmental attitudes and behavior. Empathy also correlated positively with pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, but with a dissociation with respect to its cognitive and affective components. Multivariate analyses revealed that knowledge was a stronger predictor of both pro-environmental attitudes and behavior after controlling for individual variation in cognitive and affective empathy. This finding casts doubt on the claim by compassionate conservationists that fostering empathy is the key to solving the current environmental conservation crisis. Future research should aim to extend the present findings by testing whether a more exhaustive test of participants’ environmental knowledge and other measures of empathy, including empathic competencies and the recently developed Emotional and Cognitive Scale of the Human–Nature Relationship (ECS-HNR), yield the same dominance of knowledge over empathy.
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Gomez R, Brown T, Watson S, Stavropoulos V. Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling of the factor structure of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261914. [PMID: 35130284 PMCID: PMC8820594 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a multiple dimensional measure of cognitive empathy [comprising primary factors for perspective taking (PT), online simulation (OS)], and affective empathy [comprising primary factors for emotion contagion (EC), proximal responsivity (PRO), and peripheral responsivity (PER)]. This study used independent clusters confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the scale's factor structure. A general community sample of 203 (men = 43, women = 160) between 17 and 63 years completed the QCAE. Although both the five-factor oblique and second order factor models showed good model fit, and clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, in the second-order factor model, none of the primary factors loaded significantly on their respective secondary factors, thereby favoring the five-factor oblique model. The factors in this model were supported in terms of external validity. Despite this, the factor for PRO in this model showed low reliability for meaning interpretation. A revised four-factor oblique model without the PRO factor showed good fit, clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, and reliability and validity for the factors in this model, thereby suggesting this to be the best model to represent ratings on the QCAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rapson Gomez
- Department of Psychology, School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
| | - Taylor Brown
- Department of Psychology, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Footscray, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun Watson
- Department of Psychology, School of Science, Psychology and Sport, Federation University, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vasileios Stavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Footscray, Victoria, Australia
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de Lima FF, Osório FDL. Empathy: Assessment Instruments and Psychometric Quality - A Systematic Literature Review With a Meta-Analysis of the Past Ten Years. Front Psychol 2021; 12:781346. [PMID: 34899531 PMCID: PMC8653810 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.781346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To verify the psychometric qualities and adequacy of the instruments available in the literature from 2009 to 2019 to assess empathy in the general population. Methods: The following databases were searched: PubMed, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Scielo, and LILACS using the keywords "empathy" AND "valid∗" OR "reliability" OR "psychometr∗." A qualitative synthesis was performed with the findings, and meta-analytic measures were used for reliability and convergent validity. Results: Fifty studies were assessed, which comprised 23 assessment instruments. Of these, 13 proposed new instruments, 18 investigated the psychometric properties of instruments previously developed, and 19 reported cross-cultural adaptations. The Empathy Quotient, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy were the instruments most frequently addressed. They presented good meta-analytic indicators of internal consistency [reliability, generalization meta-analyses (Cronbach's alpha): 0.61 to 0.86], but weak evidence of validity [weak structural validity; low to moderate convergent validity (0.27 to 0.45)]. Few studies analyzed standardization, prediction, or responsiveness for the new and old instruments. The new instruments proposed few innovations, and their psychometric properties did not improve. In general, cross-cultural studies reported adequate adaptation processes and equivalent psychometric indicators, though there was a lack of studies addressing cultural invariance. Conclusion: Despite the diversity of instruments assessing empathy and the many associated psychometric studies, there remain limitations, especially in terms of validity. Thus far, we cannot yet nominate a gold-standard instrument.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flávia de Lima Osório
- Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, Brazil
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12
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Gica Ş, Büyükavşar A, Iyisoy MS, Güleç H. Psychometric Properties of Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE): Reliability and Factor Analysis Study in Turkish Sample. Noro Psikiyatr Ars 2021; 58:228-233. [PMID: 34526847 PMCID: PMC8419731 DOI: 10.29399/npa.27248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Questionnaire Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) scale is a tool that is widely used because of its multi-dimensional assessment of ability for empathy and is currently available in many languages. The aim of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of QCAE, which evaluates cognitive and emotional empathy with its multi-dimensional structure, and to bring it into the Turkish. METHODS The study was carried out in a Turkish population of 412 healthy volunteers. Internal consistency, confirmatory factor analyses and gender comparisons of the Turkish version of the scale were performed. RESULTS The Turkish version of QCAE had good construct validity and reliability for the five-correlated factors model (i. e., Emotion Contagion, Proximal Responsivity, Peripheral Responsivity, Perspective Taking and Online Simulation). Temporal reliability was high with a two week test-retest intra-correlation coefficient range of 0.69-0.79. A total of 3 models were tested with confirmatory factor analyses, including the models of the original investigation. Cognitive-Affective distinction was not supported by the pattern of correlations between the factors. CONCLUSION Our results support that it is appropriate to compute and interpret the 5 sub-dimensions of the Turkish version of QCAE separately and totally, but the limitations in its use in the Cognitive Empathy and Affective Empathy sub-dimensions should be heeded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Şakir Gica
- Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry, Konya, Turkey
| | - Ahsen Büyükavşar
- Konya Aksehir Public Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Konya, Turkey
| | - M Sinan Iyisoy
- Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Education and Informatics, Konya, Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Güleç
- University of Health Sciences Turkey Istanbul Erenkoy Mental Health and Neurological Disease Education and Research Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Istanbul, Turkey
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Dashash M, Boubou M. Measurement of empathy among health professionals during Syrian crisis using the Syrian empathy scale. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2021; 21:409. [PMID: 34325698 PMCID: PMC8319893 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-021-02835-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health professionals should have certain degree of empathy to eliminate the pain and suffering of their patients. There is a need to design a scale, which can assess empathy among health professionals and is relevant to community and culture. Therefore, this study was undertaken to measure the empathy among Syrian health professionals and students of health professions using a newly designed Syrian Empathy Scale that is relevant to community during Syrian crisis. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study was undertaken. A total of 214 participants (118 males and 96 females) responded to the Syrian Empathy Scale SES from Medical (n = 62), Dental (n = 152). They were 59 undergraduates, 116 postgraduates and 39 general practitioners. The SES was designed as a tool that includes 20 items in a 7-point Likert-type scale with overall score ranges from 20 to 140. Group comparisons of the empathy scores were conducted using t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA). A factor analysis was performed. Bartlett's test of the sphericity and the KMO measure of sampling adequacy were also determined. Cronbach's alpha was calculated. RESULTS A significant difference was found between males and females in the SES mean score. The ANOVA analysis showed that the SES empathy scores of dentists were higher than the SES empathy scores in medical doctors with no significant difference. The SES empathy score of undergraduates was significantly higher than postgraduates and practitioners. Findings of KMO indicated sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.824 > 0.7) and the value of Bartlett's test of the sphericity (1255.65, df = 190, P-value< 0.001) proved that the factor analysis is meaningful and acceptable. The results of varimax rotation proved that five main factors were retained. CONCLUSION Findings of this study support the reliability of the newly designed Syrian Empathy Scale for measuring empathy in the field of health care. The SES can be suggested for assessing empathy in different health educational programs. However, future works are still essential to support the validity of the scale as well as to ascertain the role of empathy in improving health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayssoon Dashash
- Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
- Program of Medical Education, Syrian Virtual University, Damascus, Syria.
| | - Mounzer Boubou
- Program of Medical Education, Syrian Virtual University, Damascus, Syria
- Faculty of Education, Tishreen University, Latakia, Syria
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Kozloff V, Cowell JM, Huppert E, Gomez‐Sicard N, Lee K, Mahasneh R, Malcolm‐Smith S, Selcuk B, Zhou X, Decety J. An investigation of children's empathic dispositions and behaviours across seven countries. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Violet Kozloff
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
| | - Jason M. Cowell
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
- Department of Psychology University of Wisconsin Green Bay Wisconsin USA
| | | | | | - Kang Lee
- Department of Psychology University of Toronto Toronto Canada
| | - Randa Mahasneh
- Department of Educational Psychology Hashemite University Zarqa Jordan
| | | | - Bilge Selcuk
- Department of Psychology Koc University Istanbul Turkey
| | - Xinyue Zhou
- School of Management, Zhejiang University Hangzhou China
| | - Jean Decety
- Department of Psychology University of Chicago Chicago Illinois USA
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15
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Lanciano T, Curci A. Psychopathic traits and self-conscious emotions: What is the role of perspective taking ability? CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-019-0162-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Liang YS, Yang HX, Zhang YJ, Cai XL, Wang YY, Ni K, Pu CC, Zhou SZ, Ma YT, Lui SSY, Wang Y, Yu X, Chan RCK. Validation of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in patients with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2020; 25:466-479. [PMID: 33172340 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2020.1846025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alteration of empathy is common in patients with psychiatric disorders. Reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring empathy of clinical samples is needed. The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a newly-developed instrument to capture cognitive and affective components of empathy. This study aimed to validate the QCAE and compared self-reported empathy between clinical groups with varied psychiatric diagnoses and healthy sample. METHODS The present study performed factor analysis for the QCAE on clinical samples in the Chinese setting (n = 534), including patients with schizophrenia (n = 158), bipolar disorder (n = 213) and major depressive disorder (n = 163). Internal consistency, internal correlation and convergent validity was examined in the subsample (n = 361). Group comparison among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and healthy controls (n = 107) was conducted to assess the discriminant validity. RESULTS Our results indicated acceptable factor model, good reliability and validity of the QCAE. Impaired cognitive empathy was found in clinical samples, especially in patients with schizophrenia, while higher affective empathy was found in patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION The QCAE is a useful tool in assessing empathy in patients with varied psychiatric diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Si Liang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Han-Xue Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Jing Zhang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Lu Cai
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yu Wang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Ni
- Qiqihar Mental Health Center, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Pu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Zhe Zhou
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Tao Ma
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
- Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China
- National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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17
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Vilaverde RF, Correia AI, Lima CF. Higher trait mindfulness is associated with empathy but not with emotion recognition abilities. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:192077. [PMID: 32968498 PMCID: PMC7481693 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.192077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mindfulness involves an intentional and non-judgemental attention or awareness of present-moment experiences. It can be cultivated by meditation practice or present as an inherent disposition or trait. Higher trait mindfulness has been associated with improved emotional skills, but evidence comes primarily from studies on emotion regulation. It remains unclear whether improvements extend to other aspects of emotional processing, namely the ability to recognize emotions in others. In the current study, 107 participants (M age = 25.48 years) completed a measure of trait mindfulness, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, and two emotion recognition tasks. These tasks required participants to categorize emotions in facial expressions and in speech prosody (modulations of the tone of voice). They also completed an empathy questionnaire and attention tasks. We found that higher trait mindfulness was associated positively with cognitive empathy, but not with the ability to recognize emotions. In fact, Bayesian analyses provided substantial evidence for the null hypothesis, both for emotion recognition in faces and in speech. Moreover, no associations were observed between mindfulness and attention performance. These findings suggest that the positive effects of trait mindfulness on emotional processing do not extend to emotion recognition abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - César F. Lima
- Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Lisboa, Avenida das Forças Armadas, 1649-026Portugal
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18
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Brunet-Gouet E, Myszkowski N, Ehrminger M, Urbach M, Aouizerate B, Brunel L, Capdevielle D, Chereau I, Dubertret C, Dubreucq J, Fond G, Lançon C, Leignier S, Mallet J, Misdrahi D, Pires S, Schneider P, Schurhoff F, Yazbek H, Zinetti-Bertschy A, Bazin N, Passerieux C, Zenasni F, Roux P. Confirmation of a Two-Factor Solution to the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in a French Population of Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10:751. [PMID: 31708814 PMCID: PMC6823714 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a tool for self-assessing the cognitive and emotional components of empathy. A study showed that a two-factor model fits the data of patients with schizophrenia, whereas other reports on healthy subjects have suggested a five-factor decomposition. We aimed to replicate the model of Horan et al. in a French population with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (i.e., schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders) participating in the EVACO Study (NCT02901015). In total, 133 patients were assessed with the QCAE, the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and the Self rating Quality of Life Scale (S-QoL). The two-factor model demonstrated an adequate fit with the data, comparable to that reported by Horan et al. Males scored higher on the Affective subscore than females. After correction for multiple tests, psychopathology (PANSS) and functioning (PSP) did not correlate significantly with the QCAE subscores. However, quality of life (S-QoL) correlated positively with the Emotional Contagion subscore. Thus, the variability of empathetic disposition in schizophrenia may be considered through the cognitive versus affective dichotomy and properly investigated with the QCAE. The results support further investigation of the relationship between QCAE scores and subjective outcome measurements, such as quality of life, and emphasize the importance of cross-cultural comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Brunet-Gouet
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Versailles Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Nils Myszkowski
- Department of Psychology, Pace University, New York, NY, United States
- Laboratoire Adaptations Travail-Individu, Université Paris Descartes, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Mickael Ehrminger
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Mathieu Urbach
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Versailles Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Bruno Aouizerate
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Charles Perrens Hospital, F-33076 Bordeaux, France; Laboratory of Nutrition and Integrative Neurobiology (UMR INRA 1286), University of Bordeaux, France
| | - Lore Brunel
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- INSERM U955, Translational Psychiatry Team; AP-HP Mondor University Hospital, DHU Pe-PSY, Schizophrenia Expert Center, Creteil, France
| | - Delphine Capdevielle
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- University Department of Adult Psychiatry, Hospital La Colombière, CHU Montpellier, France; INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Chereau
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Psychiatrie B, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Caroline Dubertret
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- AP-HP; Department of Psychiatry, Louis Mourier Hospital, Colombes, France; Inserm UMR1266, Institute of Psychiatry and Neuroscience of Paris, University Paris Descartes, France; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine, France
| | - Julien Dubreucq
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation Reference Centre, Alpes Isère Hospital, Grenoble, France
| | - Guillaume Fond
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- La Conception Hospital, AP-HM, Aix-Marseille Univ, School of Medicine - La Timone Medical Campus, EA 3279: CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Marseille, France
| | - Christophe Lançon
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Ste Marguerite Hospital, AP-HM, Aix-Marseille Univ, School of Medicine - La Timone Medical Campus, EA 3279: CEReSS - Health Service Research and Quality of Life Center, Marseille, France
| | - Sylvain Leignier
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Psychosocial Rehabilitation Reference Centre, Alpes Isère Hospital, Grenoble, France
| | - Jasmina Mallet
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- University Department of Adult Psychiatry, Hospital La Colombière, CHU Montpellier, France; INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - David Misdrahi
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Charles Perrens Hospital, F-33076 Bordeaux; University of Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287-INCIA, Bordeaux, France
| | - Sylvie Pires
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Psychiatrie B, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Priscille Schneider
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- University Hospital of Strasbourg, Department of Psychiatry, Strasbourg, France; University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Inserm U1114, Strasbourg, France
| | - Franck Schurhoff
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- INSERM U955, Translational Psychiatry Team; AP-HP Mondor University Hospital, DHU Pe-PSY, Schizophrenia Expert Center, Creteil, France
| | - Hanan Yazbek
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- University Department of Adult Psychiatry, Hospital La Colombière, CHU Montpellier, France; INSERM, Univ Montpellier, Neuropsychiatry: Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Montpellier, France; University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Anna Zinetti-Bertschy
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- University Hospital of Strasbourg, Department of Psychiatry, Strasbourg, France; University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Inserm U1114, Strasbourg, France
| | - Nadine Bazin
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Versailles Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Christine Passerieux
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Versailles Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Franck Zenasni
- Laboratoire Adaptations Travail-Individu, Université Paris Descartes, Université Sorbonne Paris Cité, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
| | - Paul Roux
- FondaMental Foundation, Créteil, France
- Department of Adult Psychiatry, Versailles Hospital, Le Chesnay, France
- HandiRESP Laboratory, EA4047, Health Sciences Department Simone Veil, University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-En-Yvelines, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
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19
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Seara-Cardoso A, Queirós A, Fernandes E, Coutinho J, Neumann C. Psychometric Properties and Construct Validity of the Short Version of the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale in a Southern European Sample. J Pers Assess 2019; 102:457-468. [PMID: 31188025 DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2019.1617297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Self-Report Psychopathy Scale-Short Form (SRP-SF) is a brief measure of psychopathy, developed via model-based test theory. The SRP-SF has a 4-factor structure with items reflecting affective, interpersonal, lifestyle, and antisocial domains, in line with the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), which can be aggregated to form the traditional F1 and F2 dimensions of psychopathy. Previous research indicates the SRP is a viable tool for examining the prevalence of psychopathic propensities and their correlates in nonoffender populations. Currently, a substantial amount of nonoffender research on psychopathy is conducted in North America. Here, we inspect the psychometric properties of the SRP-SF and probe its association with general personality and empathy in a large southern European (Portuguese) community sample. Consistent with previous studies, results indicated good fit for the 4-factor model, including for separate female and male subsamples, good internal consistency across its scales and subscales, and the predicted pattern of associations with the correlates of psychopathy. The results of this cross-cultural study provide further evidence of the validity of the SRP-SF in the assessment of psychopathy in community samples, and help to extend the nomological net on the larger construct to a southern European sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Seara-Cardoso
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.,Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Andreia Queirós
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Eugénia Fernandes
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Joana Coutinho
- Psychological Neuroscience Lab, CIPsi, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
| | - Craig Neumann
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Texas, USA
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20
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Liang YS, Yang HX, Ma YT, Lui SSY, Cheung EFC, Wang Y, Chan RCK. Validation and extension of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in the Chinese setting. Psych J 2019; 8:439-448. [PMID: 30983167 DOI: 10.1002/pchj.281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a commonly used instrument in empathy research. However, this scale has not been validated in the Chinese context. We examined the psychometric properties and structure of the QCAE in a Chinese sample consisting of 1224 college students. The whole sample was split into two halves for exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 617) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 607). A subsample (n = 351) completed the Chinese versions of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to examine convergent validity and the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (RSAS) to examine the discriminate validity. Finally, 79 participants of the above subsample were retested after a 4-week interval. Results from EFA and CFA suggested a five-factor model, namely Perspective Taking, Online Simulation, Emotional Contagion, Proximal Responsivity, and Peripheral Responsivity. The internal consistency was .86 and test-retest reliability was .76. Scores on the QCAE positively correlated with scores on the IRI and negatively correlated with scores on the RSAS. The Chinese version of the QCAE exhibited good factor structure, reliability, and validity. Specific relationships between empathy and social anhedonia were also demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Si Liang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Han-Xue Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Tao Ma
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Yi Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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21
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Grzegorzewski P, Kulesza M, Pluta A, Iqbal Z, Kucharska K. Assessing self-reported empathy and altruism in patients suffering from enduring borderline personality disorder. Psychiatry Res 2019; 273:798-807. [PMID: 30819534 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Self-report studies on empathy in adults with borderline personality disorder (BPD) have based upon the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and generally identified deficits in perspective taking abilities in this group, but indicated less coherent results regarding empathic concern. These two constructs are considered subcomponents of cognitive (CE) and affective empathy (AE), respectively. However, the IRI does not enable for valid investigation of overall levels of these empathy types. Surprisingly, although some findings from the general population suggest that empathy types may be positively related to altruism, neither this link nor general altruism have been examined in BPD. Additionally, these constructs have not been sufficiently studied in this group in the context of alexithymia or potential clinical confounders. Hence, women with BPD (N = 30) and healthy women (N = 38) completed, i.a., the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy, Self-Report Altruism Scale, TAS-20, STAI, and CESD-R. Patients with BPD reported significantly decreased overall CE (including worse online simulation abilities - conceptually similar to perspective taking from the IRI), but a similar level of overall AE. They also demonstrated lower altruism. Taken together, these results suggest that BPD patients have difficulties with imagining what emotions others are feeling and with altruistic responding to their needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Grzegorzewski
- Department of Neuroses, Personality Disorders, and Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maria Kulesza
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Zaffer Iqbal
- NAViGO Health Care and Social Care CIC, Grimsby, United Kingdom; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | - Katarzyna Kucharska
- Department of Neuroses, Personality Disorders, and Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957 Warsaw, Poland.
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22
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Martin R, McKenzie K, Metcalfe D, Pollet T, McCarty K. A preliminary investigation into the relationship between empathy, autistic like traits and emotion recognition. PERSONALITY AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2018.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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