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Gordon-Hecker T, Shalvi S, Uzefovsky F, Bereby-Meyer Y. Cognitive empathy boosts honesty in children and young adolescents. J Exp Child Psychol 2024; 241:105869. [PMID: 38350253 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
Children and young adolescents often tend to behave dishonestly in order to serve their self-interests. This study focused on how empathic abilities affect children's tendency to deceive others. Deception is the act of causing others to form a false belief to get them to act in a way that serves the deceiver's interests. As such, it requires the ability to predict how others might use the provided information. In two experiments, 274 participants (aged 10-16 years) played a game in which they could send a deceptive message to another participant to boost their own payoff at the other player's expense. We measured participants' cognitive and emotional empathy using different measures. We found that a measure of cognitive empathy, namely the fantasy scale, was associated with less deception of another player when that other player was not identified and was presented only as "Player B." However, when Player B was identified by name, empathy did not predict deception. In such cases, the only factors affecting deception rates were the gain for the participant (higher possible gains lead to more deception) and loss to the other player (higher possible losses lead to less deception). Overall, the findings suggest that even by 11 years of age, children can understand the impact of their unethical behavior on another child and adjust their actions accordingly. However, when the other child is not identified, children need to possess high levels of cognitive empathy toward imagined individuals to resist the temptation to deceive the other child.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shaul Shalvi
- University of Amsterdam, 1018 WB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Winters DE, Massey SH, Sakai JT. Adolescent substance use outcomes in response to social consequences of use: the role of empathy. JOURNAL OF DRUG ISSUES 2024; 54:202-217. [PMID: 38434989 PMCID: PMC10906742 DOI: 10.1177/00220426231159303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Evidence suggests empathy deficits have a temporal relationship with substance use severity by late adolescence theorized to decrease use via recognition of social consequences. However, this has yet to be tested empirically along with differences in cognitive and affective empathy. Adolescents admitted to substance use treatment (n= 3,382) were followed through treatment and 12 months after treatment. Variable trajectories were fit using growth curve models; and cross-lagged effects of cognitive and affective empathy on response to social consequences of use were tested along with how response to social consequences affected the mean trajectory of substance use. Results indicate higher cognitive empathy predicted greater response to social consequences of use and response to these consequences at the end of treatment predicted a steeper decrease in substance use. This evidence highlights the importance of cognitive empathy for responding to social consequences of use for motivating less substance use in adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew E Winters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 e. 17th place, Aurora, CO 80045-2559, USA
| | - Suena H Massey
- Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115
| | - Joseph T Sakai
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus, 13001 e. 17th place, Aurora, CO 80045-2559, USA
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Olmos-Gómez MDC, Portillo-Sánchez R, Mohamed-Mohand L, Estrada-Vidal LI. Promotion of Values Education (Factors Involved in Prosocial Behaviors and Volunteering). Eur J Investig Health Psychol Educ 2024; 14:411-431. [PMID: 38391495 PMCID: PMC10888140 DOI: 10.3390/ejihpe14020028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Prosocial behavior aligns with the current societal model, where human values hold greater importance considering cultural, social, and personal variables that may influence the opportunity to benefit others. Hence, the objective of this research was established: to understand how diverse factors influence the values of young people, aiming to promote education and enhance prosocial behavior. (2) Methods: This study is quantitative research employing an empirical-analytical, cross-sectional social research method. A validated instrument was used with a sample of 1702 individuals from the city of Melilla, noteworthy for its multicultural context due to its location in North Africa. (3) Results: Inferential analysis was conducted using multiple linear regression to predict future behaviors, focusing on the factors influencing values. Various models were employed, incorporating twelve variables and four scales: sociability, transcendence, culture, and effects. (4) Conclusions: The results and conclusions suggest the need to enhance affect and sociability, primarily among the most prominent factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Del Carmen Olmos-Gómez
- Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Raquel Portillo-Sánchez
- Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Laila Mohamed-Mohand
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Ligia Isabel Estrada-Vidal
- Department of Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, Faculty of Education and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
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Lindsey MA, Mufson L, Vélez-Grau C, Grogan T, Wilson DM, Reliford AO, Gunlicks-Stoessel M, Jaccard J. Engaging Black youth in depression and suicide prevention treatment within urban schools: study protocol for a randomized controlled pilot. Trials 2024; 25:112. [PMID: 38336803 PMCID: PMC10854091 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-07947-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression continues to be an ongoing threat to adolescent well-being with Black adolescents being particularly vulnerable to greater burdens of depression as well as lower mental health service utilization. Black adolescents are likely to have untreated depression due to social network influences, varied perceptions of services and providers, or self-stigma associated with experiencing depressive symptoms. Furthermore, if or when treatment is initiated, low engagement and early termination are common. To address this gap, a trial is being conducted to preliminarily test the effectiveness of an engagement intervention targeting Black adolescents with depression in school mental health services in New York City. METHODS A total of 60 Black middle and high school adolescents displaying depressive symptoms are equally randomized (based on school site) to the treatment arms. Both trial arms deliver Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depressed Adolescents (IPT-A), a time-limited, evidence-based treatment for depression. Additionally, one arm pairs IPT-A with a brief, multi-level engagement intervention, the Making Connections Intervention (MCI), involving adolescents, caregivers, and clinicians. Outcomes of interest are group differences in depression and suicide ideation, adolescent and caregiver engagement, and mental health service use. DISCUSSION This trial will serve as an efficacy assessment of the MCI among a sample of Black adolescent students with depressive symptoms. Clinical and implementation results will be used to inform future research to further test the MCI intervention in a larger sample. TRIAL REGISTRATION Registered by ClinicalTrials.gov on May 3, 2019, identifier: NCT03940508.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Lindsey
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
| | - Laura Mufson
- Department of Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Carolina Vélez-Grau
- School of Social Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Tracy Grogan
- McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, New York University, 708 Broadway, Fifth Floor, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Damali M Wilson
- McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, New York University, 708 Broadway, Fifth Floor, New York, NY, 10003, USA
| | - Aaron O Reliford
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Langone Health, 1 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Meredith Gunlicks-Stoessel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, 2025 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, MN, 55414, USA
| | - James Jaccard
- Silver School of Social Work, New York University, 1 Washington Square North, New York, NY, 10003, USA
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Hassan E, Hicks B, Tabet T, Farina N. Factors associated with dementia attitudes in an adolescent cohort: Structural Equation Modelling. COGENT PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 10:23311908.2023.2235125. [PMID: 38304300 PMCID: PMC7615582 DOI: 10.1080/23311908.2023.2235125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Dementia-related stigma is a key barrier to people living well with dementia, leading to social isolation and poor well-being. Adolescents represent an under-researched group that will become future carers and healthcare workers for the estimated 83.2 million people who will be living with dementia by 2030. Understanding the factors involved in dementia attitude formation in adolescents is useful for the development of evidence-based anti-stigma initiatives. This study aims to identify predictors of dementia attitudes in adolescents. Methods This is a cross-sectional study using secondary data analysis. 470 participants aged 12-15 years old from secondary schools in the Southeast of England, United Kingdom completed validated questionnaires relating to dementia attitudes (KIDS and Brief A-ADS) as well as demographic information. Multiple regressions were employed as well as a path analysis via a structural equation model to test for direct and mediatory effects. Results Multiple regression models revealed that being female, having higher levels of contact with dementia, and higher levels of empathy are positively associated with dementia attitudes in adolescents (p<0.05). Within the accepted structural equation model, empathy was a key mediator between contact and dementia attitudes. Conclusion This study highlights the pivotal role that contact with dementia can have in influencing dementia attitudes in adolescents with empathy serving as a mediator between contact and dementia attitudes. Interventions that use contact should consider how to stimulate empathetic responses to ultimately shape dementia attitudes.
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Kirsch LP, Tanzer M, Filippetti ML, von Mohr M, Fotopoulou A. Mother knows best: Mothers are more egocentric towards their own child's bodily feelings. COMMUNICATIONS PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 1:s44271-023-00038-5. [PMID: 38694256 PMCID: PMC7615916 DOI: 10.1038/s44271-023-00038-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Our emotional state can influence how we understand other people's emotions, leading to biases in social understanding. Yet emotional egocentric biases in specific relationships such as parent-child dyads, where not only understanding but also emotional and bodily regulation is key, remain relatively unexplored. To investigate these biases and control for sensory priors, we first conducted two experiments in dyads of adult strangers (total N=75) using a bodily Emotional Egocentricity Task that enables simultaneous affective tactile stimulation within a dyad. We showed its effectiveness in eliciting both classical and sensory-controlled egocentric biases. We then recruited 68 mother-child dyads and found that mothers exhibit higher classical and sensory-controlled emotional egocentric biases towards their own child compared to an unfamiliar child. Results suggest that mothers tend to rely on their bodily feelings more when judging the states of their own child than those of other children, possibly consistent with their regulatory parental role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise P. Kirsch
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Integrative Neuroscience and Cognition Center, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Michal Tanzer
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Mariana von Mohr
- Lab of Action and Body, Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Aikaterini Fotopoulou
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, London, UK
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Lin Z, Zhou Z, Zhu L, Wu W. Parenting styles, empathy and aggressive behavior in preschool children: an examination of mediating mechanisms. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1243623. [PMID: 38046118 PMCID: PMC10693347 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1243623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction This study examined the interplay between parenting styles, empathy, and aggressive behavior in Chinese preschool children aged 3-5 years. Methods Data were collected from 87 participants using the Child Behavior Checklist, Children's Empathy Quotient, and Parenting Style Questionnaire, and were subsequently analyzed. Results The findings revealed significant age and gender differences in empathy, but not in parenting styles or aggressive behavior. Additionally, a substantial correlation was identified between authoritarian parenting style and aggressive behavior, as well as between children's empathy levels and aggressive behavior. This indicates that empathy may act as a mediator between parenting style and aggressive behavior. Discussion Our findings suggest that an authoritarian parenting style influences aggressive behavior both directly and indirectly through its effect on children's empathy. These results point toward the possibility that an authoritarian parenting style may stifle the development of empathy in preschool children, subsequently heightening their aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhumei Lin
- Department of Psychology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
| | - Ziqian Zhou
- Department of Psychology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
| | - Lijun Zhu
- Second Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
| | - Weige Wu
- Xiamen Xianyue Hospital, Xianyue Hospital Affiliated with Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
- Fujian Psychiatric Center, Fujian Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Xiamen, China
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Surzykiewicz J, Ciechomski M, Skalski-Bednarz SB, Toussaint LL, Bielecki M, Kwadrans Ł, Małysz Z, Konaszewski K. Preliminary assessment of the psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Questionnaire to Assess Affective and Cognitive Empathy (QAACE) in Children. CURRENT ISSUES IN PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY 2023; 12:100-108. [PMID: 38807695 PMCID: PMC11129048 DOI: 10.5114/cipp/163186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This article reports the Polish adaptation of the Questionnaire to Assess Affective and Cognitive Empathy (QAACE) by Zoll and Enz - a multidimensional self-report questionnaire used to measure empathy in children aged 8-14. The QAACE is based on a two-factor cognitive-emotional model of empathy. It has a number of international adaptations and offers a convenient Polish-language tool for use with young children and adolescents. PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE The sample consisted of 677 children aged 8-13. The survey was conducted on school premises, during classes, by an appropriately prepared researcher. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a good fitting measurement model representing the original underlying factor structure of the QAACE among Polish children. The reliability of the questionnaire as measured by Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω was good. The reliability of the scale as assessed by the test-retest method (after four weeks) was .80. We assessed the validity of the tool by analyzing the correlation of empathy with love and sadism. General empathy, as well as cognitive and affective empathy, is positively related to love. The hypothesis that sadism is significantly related to empathy was also partially confirmed. General empathy and affective empathy are negatively correlated with sadism, while there was no relationship between sadism and cognitive empathy. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire is the first widely available tool of this type to examine empathy and its components appropriate for children and adolescents in Poland. The questionnaire can be a useful screening test for detecting children's level of empathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janusz Surzykiewicz
- Faculty of Philosophy and Education, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Maciej Ciechomski
- Faculty of Education, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sebastian Binyamin Skalski-Bednarz
- Faculty of Philosophy and Education, Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Eichstaett, Germany
- Faculty of Education, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Marcin Bielecki
- Faculty of Education, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Łukasz Kwadrans
- Faculty of Arts and Educational Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Małysz
- Institute of Pedagogy and Psychology, Warsaw Management University, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karol Konaszewski
- Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland
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Spaans J, Peters S, Becht A, van der Cruijsen R, van de Groep S, Crone EA. Longitudinal neural and behavioral trajectories of charity contributions across adolescence. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2023; 33:480-495. [PMID: 36443906 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the development of prosocial charity donations and neural activity in the ventral striatum when gaining rewards for self and for charity. Participants 10-22 years (95% European heritage) participated in three annual behavioral-fMRI waves (T1: n = 160, T2: n = 167, T3: n = 175). Behaviorally, donations to charity as measured with an economic Dictator Game increased with age. Perspective taking also increased with age. In contrast, self-gain and charity-gain enjoyment decreased with age. Ventral striatum activity was higher for rewards for self than for charity, but this difference decreased during adolescence. Latent growth curve models revealed that higher donations were associated with a smaller difference between ventral striatum activation for self and charity. These findings show longitudinal brain-donations associations in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jochem Spaans
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine Peters
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Andrik Becht
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Research Center Adolescent Development, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Renske van der Cruijsen
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Suzanne van de Groep
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline A Crone
- Erasmus School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Sun B, Wang Y, Ye Q, Pan Y. Associations of Empathy with Teacher-Student Interactions: A Potential Ternary Model. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13050767. [PMID: 37239239 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13050767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy has garnered increasing recognition as a pivotal component of teacher-student interactions and a notable determinant of student achievement. Nevertheless, the exact impact of empathy on teacher-student interactions remains elusive, despite research endeavors into the neural mechanisms of teacher empathy. Our article examines the cognitive neural processes of teacher empathy during various forms of teacher-student interactions. To this end, we first present a concise review of theoretical considerations related to empathy and interactions, followed by an extensive discussion of teacher-student interactions and teacher empathy through both "single-brain" and "dual-brain" perspectives. Drawing on these discussions, we propose a potential model of empathy that integrates the affective contagion, cognitive evaluation, and behavior prediction aspects of teacher-student interactions. Finally, future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binghai Sun
- Intelligent Laboratory of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intervention of Zhejiang Province, School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yaoyao Wang
- Intelligent Laboratory of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intervention of Zhejiang Province, School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Qun Ye
- Intelligent Laboratory of Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Crisis Intervention of Zhejiang Province, School of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Intelligent Education Technology and Application of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Strike LT, Hansell NK, Chuang KH, Miller JL, de Zubicaray GI, Thompson PM, McMahon KL, Wright MJ. The Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain Project, a longitudinal study of adolescent brain development. Sci Data 2023; 10:195. [PMID: 37031232 PMCID: PMC10082846 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02038-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We describe the Queensland Twin Adolescent Brain (QTAB) dataset and provide a detailed methodology and technical validation to facilitate data usage. The QTAB dataset comprises multimodal neuroimaging, as well as cognitive and mental health data collected in adolescent twins over two sessions (session 1: N = 422, age 9-14 years; session 2: N = 304, 10-16 years). The MRI protocol consisted of T1-weighted (MP2RAGE), T2-weighted, FLAIR, high-resolution TSE, SWI, resting-state fMRI, DWI, and ASL scans. Two fMRI tasks were added in session 2: an emotional conflict task and a passive movie-watching task. Outside of the scanner, we assessed cognitive function using standardised tests. We also obtained self-reports of symptoms for anxiety and depression, perceived stress, sleepiness, pubertal development measures, and risk and protective factors. We additionally collected several biological samples for genomic and metagenomic analysis. The QTAB project was established to promote health-related research in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lachlan T Strike
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
- Psychiatric Genetics, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, QLD, 4006, Brisbane, Australia.
| | - Narelle K Hansell
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kai-Hsiang Chuang
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Advanced Imaging, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jessica L Miller
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Greig I de Zubicaray
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Paul M Thompson
- Imaging Genetics Center, Mark & Mary Stevens Institute for Neuroimaging & Informatics, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Katie L McMahon
- School of Clinical Sciences, Centre for Biomedical Technologies, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
| | - Margaret J Wright
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Brain Institute, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
- The University of Queensland, Centre for Advanced Imaging, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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Abstract
Children's unique developmental and contextual needs make it challenging to measure empathy validly and reliably. This scoping review is the first to collate currently available information about self-report, other-report, and performance-based questionnaire measures of empathy for children aged up to 11 years. Following the guidelines for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR; Tricco et al., 2018), a literature search using PsycINFO, Scopus, and Google Scholar identified 24 relevant measures of empathy in children, with publication years spanning 1958 to 2019. Questionnaires could broadly be classified into four groups, according to the extent to which they were developed with children's developmental needs and contexts in mind, and were based on contemporary theory and research findings. There was a distinction between performance-based measures, which elicited children's empathy-related responses to novel content and therefore assessed situational state empathy, and self- and other-report measures, which rated children's general empathic tendencies and thus assessed dispositional trait empathy. Results highlighted the importance of researchers having clarity on their definition of empathy and choosing measures consistent with this, and the merit of utilizing a multimodal assessment approach.
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The Origins of the Dark—Hyperactivity and Negative Peer Relationships, an Objectively Lower Sleep Efficiency, and a Longer Sleep Onset Latency at Age Five Were Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Low Empathy at Age 14. J Clin Med 2023; 12:jcm12062248. [PMID: 36983253 PMCID: PMC10053498 DOI: 10.3390/jcm12062248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Within the spectrum of emotional competencies, callous-unemotional traits are socially discouraged, while empathy is considered a socially much more accepted emotional trait. This holds particularly true for adolescents, who are still building up their social and emotional competencies. The aims of the present study were two-fold: First, longitudinally, to identify traits of behavioral problems and objective sleep dimensions at the age of 5 years to predict callous-unemotional traits and empathy at the age of 14 years. Second, cross-sectionally, to associate callous-unemotional traits and empathy with current insomnia, stress, and mental toughness. Methods: Preschoolers at the age of 5 years were contacted nine years later at the age of 14 years. At 5 years, parents rated their children’s behavior (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ); in parallel, children underwent a one-night sleep-EEG assessment. At the age of 14 years, adolescents completed a series of questionnaires covering callous-unemotional traits, insomnia, empathy, stress, and mental toughness. Results: A total of 77 adolescents (38.1% females) took part in the present study. Longitudinally, higher scores for hyperactivity at age 5 significantly predicted higher callous-unemotional traits at age 14. A higher score for negative peer relationships at age 5 significantly predicted lower scores for cognitive empathy at age 14. Further, objective sleep-EEG measures showed that a higher sleep efficiency and a shorter sleep latency was associated with lower scores for callousness. Cross-sectionally, higher scores for callous-unemotional traits were associated with higher insomnia and stress, while lower insomnia was associated with higher empathy. Mental toughness was unrelated to callous-unemotional traits and empathy. Conclusions: It appears that hyperactivity traits and negative peer relationships and more unfavorable objective sleep patterns at 5 years predicted socially discouraged callous-unemotional traits and low empathy during adolescence. Further, cross-sectionally at the age of 14, callous-unemotional traits, subjective poor sleep, and higher stress were associated.
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Armstrong-Carter E, Do KT, Duell N, Kwon SJ, Lindquist KA, Prinstein MJ, Telzer EH. Adolescents' Perceptions of Social Risk and Prosocial Tendencies: Developmental Change and Individual Differences. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2023; 32:188-203. [PMID: 36714807 PMCID: PMC9881455 DOI: 10.1111/sode.12630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Many prosocial behaviors involve social risks such as speaking out against a popular opinion, bias, group norm, or authority. However, little is known about whether adolescents' prosocial tendencies develop over time with their perceptions of social risks. This accelerated longitudinal study used within-subject growth-curve analyses to test the link between prosocial tendencies and social risk perceptions, in a sample of adolescents who completed self-reports annually for three years (N = 893; M age = 12.30 years, 10 - 14 years at Wave 1, and 10 - 17 years across the full study period; 50% Girls, 33% White non-Latinx, 27% Latinx, 20% African American, 20% Mixed/Other Race). The association between social risk tolerance and prosocial tendencies changed significantly across adolescence, such that at for younger adolescents, more prosocial tendencies were associated with less social risk tolerance, whereas for relatively older adolescents, more prosocial tendencies were associated marginally with more social risk tolerance. Additional individual differences by empathy (but not sensation seeking) emerged. These findings suggest that prosocial development across adolescence may be associated with an underlying ability to tolerate social risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathy T. Do
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Natasha Duell
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Seh-Joo Kwon
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Kristen A. Lindquist
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Mitch J. Prinstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Eva H. Telzer
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Tan Q, Huang Y, Ling Z, Zhan Y, Zhou H. Warmer Individuals Get More Help: The Influence of Stereotypes and Empathy on Moral Decision-Making. Psychol Rep 2023:332941231152386. [PMID: 36680548 DOI: 10.1177/00332941231152386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The processing of moral decision-making is influenced by both cognitive and emotional systems, making it worth exploring exactly how each plays a role in the process of individual moral decision-making. In this study, 160 participants with either high or low empathy traits (80 each, as determined by the Interpersonal Response Index Inventory) completed a moral decision-making task regarding whether to help others (stereotyped as high warmth-high competence, high warmth-low competence, low warmth-high competence, low warmth-low competence) at the expense of themselves. The intent was to explore the influence of stereotypes and empathy traits on moral decision-making. The results showed that: (1) participants were more willing to help individuals with high warmth than those with high competence, showing a clear "primacy of warmth effect"; (2) this effect was weakened in participants with high empathy traits in comparison to those with low empathy traits, as their willingness to help individuals with low warmth was significantly higher than that of participants with low empathy traits. The results suggest that stereotypes about warmth and competence moderate altruistic tendencies in moral decision-making and that this moderation is more pronounced in individuals with low empathy traits than in those with high empathy traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianbao Tan
- School of Education, 12518Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Yong Huang
- School of Education, 12518Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Zi Ling
- School of Education, 12518Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Youlong Zhan
- School of Education, 12518Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
| | - Haibo Zhou
- School of Education, 12518Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China
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16
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Mullins JL, Zhou E, Michalska KJ. How Parental Support Affects Latina Girls During the COVID-19 Pandemic. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1027/1864-9335/a000476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Abstract. The current study focuses on a sample of low- to middle-income school-age Latina girls and their parents and examines how children’s distress proneness interacts with parental empathic accuracy and posttraumatic growth in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic to predict children’s empathy and prosocial behavior toward unknown others. Approximately 2–3 months into state-mandated stay-at-home orders, 55 parent–daughter dyads were recruited to participate in this four-session longitudinal study. To assess distress proneness, daughters (ages 8–13 years, 100% Latina) identified their degree of distress in response to pandemic-related stressors. Concurrently, their parents reported how they thought their children would respond to these same pandemic-related stressors, which assessed parental empathic accuracy. Parents also completed an adapted version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, which assessed perceived positive outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic. Upon study completion, a behavioral measure of children’s empathic and prosocial behaviors was collected. Parental empathic accuracy interacted with children’s distress proneness to positively predict children’s affective empathy, such that children’s distress proneness predicted affective empathy at high and mean, but not low, levels of parental empathic accuracy. In a separate analysis, parental posttraumatic growth interacted with children’s distress proneness to positively predict children’s altruistic sharing behavior, such that children’s distress proneness predicted altruistic sharing behavior only at high, but not mean or low, levels of parental posttraumatic growth. The results of this study highlight how positive parental socialization and understanding of children’s tendencies toward distress are associated with children’s empathic and prosocial behaviors, particularly during major global crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan L. Mullins
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Elayne Zhou
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
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Cherewick M, Dahl RE, Leiferman JA, Hipp E, Schmiege S. Psychometric properties of the empathy questionnaire for children and adolescents in a sample of Tanzanian adolescents. Front Psychol 2022; 13:981967. [PMID: 36275217 PMCID: PMC9583906 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.981967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Construct definitions of empathy have sought to distinguish between different domains of empathetic capacity that are related to psychological distress or wellbeing. This study aims to validate the psychometric properties of the Empathy Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EmQue-CA) and to test for measurement invariance by gender in a sample of 579 very young adolescents (270 boys and 309 girls) ages 9-12 from Tanzania. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis were completed to assess the factor analytic structure of the EmQue-CA, indicating a three-factor model fit these data well. Concurrent validity was demonstrated through strong significant correlations with prosocial behavior and generosity measures. Convergent validity indicated the behavioral subdimension of empathy, intent to comfort, was significantly and negatively associated with externalizing behaviors. Measurement invariance by gender was not supported for these data due to configural invariance in covariance between cognitive empathy and intent to comfort latent constructs. These findings confirm the EmQue-CA is an important measure of three dimensions of empathy; affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and behavioral empathy (intent to comfort) in a sample of Tanzanian adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Cherewick
- Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States
- *Correspondence: Megan Cherewick,
| | - Ronald E. Dahl
- Institute of Human Development, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Jenn A. Leiferman
- Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Emily Hipp
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Sarah Schmiege
- Department of Biostatistics and Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States
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18
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Li B, Blijd-Hoogewys E, Stockmann L, Vergari I, Rieffe C. Toward feeling, understanding, and caring: The development of empathy in young autistic children. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2022:13623613221117955. [PMID: 35999700 DOI: 10.1177/13623613221117955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
LAY ABSTRACT Empathy is a highly valued human capacity. Yet, autistic people are often portrayed as lacking in empathy. Recent research, which views empathy as a complex construct emerging from multiple interrelated emotional and cognitive processes, argues that, although many autistic people do have difficulty understanding others' emotions, and this may hinder them from responding to others in a prosocial manner, they are not indifferent to other people's feelings. Hoping to contribute to a better understanding of the unique challenges that autistic children face in their empathy development, we followed the development of four empathy abilities: emotion contagion, attention to others, emotion acknowledgment, and prosocial actions, in 1- to 6-year-old autistic children, in comparison with non-autistic children. Once a year, for 4 consecutive years, children's empathy abilities were evaluated by experimenters who acted out emotional episodes to provoke empathy in children, and by parents who filled out empathy questionnaires. We found that autistic children experienced indeed more difficulty attending to others, acknowledging others' emotions, and initiating prosocial actions toward others. However, according to parents, they did not differ from their non-autistic peers in feeling along with others' negative emotions. This indicates that it might not be the case that autistic children did not want to act empathetically toward others. Rather, they might not know how to do so. Notably, despite these difficulties, when looking at children's developmental trajectories, autistic children showed similar improvements over time as non-autistic children. This provides evidence that autistic children have the potential to learn and to improve their empathy skills.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boya Li
- Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Carolien Rieffe
- Leiden University, The Netherlands.,Twente University, The Netherlands.,University College London, UK
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19
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Liang Z, Mazzeschi C, Delvecchio E. Empathy questionnaire for children and adolescents: Italian validation. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2022.2096000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ziqin Liang
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Italy
| | - Claudia Mazzeschi
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Italy
| | - Elisa Delvecchio
- Department of Philosophy, Social Sciences and Education, University of Perugia, Italy
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Ashori M, Aghaziarati A. The relationships among social-emotional assets and resilience, empathy and behavioral problems in deaf and hard of hearing children. CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12144-022-03152-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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21
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da Silva BM, Rieffe C, Veiga G. Empathy in preschool Portuguese children: Validation of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue). SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brenda M.S. da Silva
- Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Carolien Rieffe
- Department of Educational and Developmental Psychology Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering Mathematics and Computer Science Department of Human Media Interaction University of Twente Enschede The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology and Human Development Institute of Education University College London London UK
| | - Guida Veiga
- Departamento de Desporto e Saúde Escola de Saúde e Desenvolvimento Humano Universidade de Évora Évora Portugal
- Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC) Universidade de Évora Évora Portugal
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22
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Pineda‐Alhucema W, Jiménez‐Figueroa G. Some considerations for social cognition assessment in children. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wilmar Pineda‐Alhucema
- Departamento de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas Universidad Simón Bolívar Barranquilla Colombia
- Unidad de Investigación Docencia‐Servicio Centro Médico Cognitivo e Investigación Barranquilla Colombia
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23
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Augello A. Unveiling the reasoning processes of robots through introspective dialogues in a storytelling system: A study on the elicited empathy. COGN SYST RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogsys.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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Cherewick M, Schmiege S, Hipp E, Leiferman J, Njau P, Dahl RE. A developmental analysis of dimensions of empathy during early adolescence: Behavioral empathy but not cognitive empathy is associated with lower psychopathology. PLOS GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 2:e0001231. [PMID: 36962683 PMCID: PMC10021927 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0001231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Construct definitions of empathy have sought to distinguish between different dimensions of empathetic capacity that are significantly associated with psychological distress or wellbeing. Research has provided substantial evidence differentiating affective and cognitive empathy; however, more recent research has cited the importance of a third domain represented by empathetic behaviors and compassionate intent to comfort others. Examining developmental and maturational stage during the rapid transitional period of early adolescence is needed to model developmental trajectories, mechanisms of change and mental health outcomes. This study aims to assess relationships between pubertal developmental stage, dimensions of empathy, and depression, anxiety and externalizing behaviors among early adolescents. A cross-sectional survey among young adolescents ages 9-12 years was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The relationships between pubertal developmental stage, affective, cognitive, and behavioral empathy scores and internalizing and externalizing symptoms were evaluated using hierarchical regression modeling. Structural equation modeling was used to test a theoretical model of structural paths between these variables. A sample of 579 very young adolescents (270 boys and 309 girls) aged 9-12 years participated in the study. Pubertal development scale scores were associated with affective, cognitive, and behavioral empathy. Adolescents who had greater behavioral empathy scores reported lower internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Adolescents who had transitioned further through puberty and had higher cognitive empathy scores and reported higher internalizing symptoms. These findings support the importance of pubertal developmental stage in assessing risk and protective paths to mental health during adolescence. While empathetic capacity is widely perceived to be a positive trait, dimensional analysis of empathy among early adolescents indicates that behavioral skills and compassionate acts may be particularly protective and promote positive mental health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Cherewick
- Department of Community & Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Sarah Schmiege
- Department of Biostatistics & Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Emily Hipp
- Department of Biostatistics & Informatics, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Jenn Leiferman
- Department of Community & Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Prosper Njau
- Health for a Prosperous Nation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ronald E Dahl
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States of America
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25
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Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Richards L, Njau PF, Dahl RE. Promoting gender equity in very young adolescents: targeting a window of opportunity for social emotional learning and identity development. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:2299. [PMID: 34923962 PMCID: PMC8684613 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-12278-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The transition from childhood to adolescence is a uniquely sensitive period for social and emotional learning in the trajectory of human development. This transition is characterized by rapid physical growth, sexual maturation, cognitive and behavioral changes and dynamic changes in social relationships. This pivotal transition provides a window of opportunity for social emotional learning that can shape early adolescent identity formation and gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. The objective of this study is to evaluate the potential of a social emotional learning intervention for very young adolescents (VYAs) to improve social emotional mindsets and skills. Methods Discover Learning is a social emotional learning intervention designed for VYAs (10-11 years of age) to support development of social emotional mindsets and skills from four primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The intervention delivered three different packages of learning experiences to three arms of the study. 528 VYAs were randomized to each of the three study arms (A-Content learning, B-Content learning and reflection, and C-Content learning, reflection and experiential practice). A quantitative survey was administered to all participants before and after the intervention to capture changes in social emotional mindsets and skills. A discrete choice experiment measured changes in gender norms, beliefs and behaviors. Results 528 VYAs were included in the analysis. Participants in all three arms of the study demonstrated significant improvements in social emotional mindsets and skills outcomes (generosity, curiosity, growth mindset, persistence, purpose and teamwork). However, Group C (who received experiential social learning opportunities in small, mixed-gender groups and a parent and community learning components demonstrated larger treatment effects on key outcomes in comparison to Groups A and B. Results indicate Group C participants had greater change in gender equity outcomes (OR = 1.69, p = <0.001) compared to Group A (OR = 1.30, p = <0.001) and Group B (OR = 1.23, p = 0.004). Conclusion These findings provide evidence that social emotional learning interventions targeting VYAs can improve social emotional mindsets and skills and gender equity outcomes. The findings indicate the importance of experiential learning activities in mixed-gender groups during the unique developmental window of early adolescence. The study also provides support for the inclusion of parental/caregiver and community engagement in programs designed for VYAs. Trial registration Retrospectively registered on July 7th, 2020. NCT0445807 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-12278-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Cherewick
- Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz, 13001 E 17th Pl, Room B119, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Sarah Lebu
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Christine Su
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Lisa Richards
- Health for a Prosperous Nation, P.O. Box 13650, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Prosper F Njau
- Health for a Prosperous Nation, P.O. Box 13650, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Ronald E Dahl
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way West, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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Krijnen LJG, Lemmers-Jansen ILJ, Fett AKJ, Krabbendam L. Benefits of Social Contact in Individuals With Psychotic Symptoms: Do Closeness of the Contact and Empathic Skills Make the Difference? Front Psychol 2021; 12:769091. [PMID: 34975658 PMCID: PMC8716939 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: Social contact is known to be beneficial for humans’ mental health. Individuals with psychotic symptoms (PS) tend to show poorer social and interpersonal functioning. However, in this patient population, social contact may be crucial for their mental wellbeing and treatment success. Additionally, closeness of social contact (familiar versus less familiar others), rather than only the presence or absence of social contacts, may play an important role. Empathy may heighten the beneficial effects of social/close contact on mental health, facilitating interactions. We investigated the association between social contact and closeness of contact on mental health, defined as positive symptoms, positive affect and negative affect in PS and control participants, with empathy as a moderator. Methods: Participants were 16–30 years old. Information regarding social/close contact and mental health was obtained using the experience sampling method in individuals with PS (n = 29) and healthy controls (n = 28). Empathy was measured using a self-report questionnaire. Results: Social contact was associated with higher positive affect in the total sample. Contact with close as opposed to less close others was related to better mental health: It was associated with lower positive symptoms in the PS group, and with more positive affect in the total sample. Empathy moderated the association between closeness of contact and positive affect in the total sample, in which the combination of higher levels of empathy combined with the presence of close contact was associated with higher positive affect in the total sample. However, the direct association between empathy and positive affect was not significant per group of contact. Conclusion: The results suggest that social contact, but especially contact with a close other is important for mental health outcomes: Contact with close others is beneficial for positive affect in the total sample and for positive symptoms in individuals with PS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa J. G. Krijnen
- Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- *Correspondence: Lisa J. G. Krijnen,
| | - Imke L. J. Lemmers-Jansen
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute for Brain and Behavior (IBBA), Amsterdam, Netherlands
- CSI Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anne-Kathrin J. Fett
- CSI Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, City University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Lydia Krabbendam
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute for Brain and Behavior (IBBA), Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Chen-Bouck L, Patterson MM, Qiao B, Peng A. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Empathy Training on Empathy Skills, Life Satisfaction, and Relationship Quality for Chinese Adolescents and Their Mothers: A Mixed Methods Study. JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENT RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/07435584211064209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Using a pre- and post-test design, this study examined the changes in empathy skills, life satisfaction, and relationship quality among mainland Chinese adolescents (ages 13–15 years) and their mothers ( N = 108 dyads) following an empathy training intervention. Participants completed a 20-day empathy training, including two in-person group training sessions and daily journals on assigned topics. Participants’ mother-child relationship quality, mother-child conflict, life satisfaction, and empathy skills were measured three times, and selected participants were interviewed to explore their experience of the training. The research procedure followed protocols that were approved by an Institutional Review Board. ANOVAs were used to examine quantitative data and inductive analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings suggest that after the training, both adolescents and mothers reported significant benefits in mother-child relationship quality and life satisfaction. However, participants’ empathy skills (i.e., perspective taking and empathic concern skills) did not change. Possible mechanisms of the observed changes included the empathy skills (e.g., perspective taking skills) learned through the training and the reciprocal nature of positive changes within the mother-child dyad. The current study suggests that empathy training may benefit adolescents and their mothers, both within the relationship and in their general life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bixi Qiao
- Northern State University, Aberdeen, SD, USA
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28
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Armstrong-Carter E, Do KT, Guassi Moreira JF, Prinstein MJ, Telzer EH. Examining a new prosocial risk-taking scale in a longitudinal sample of ethnically diverse adolescents. J Adolesc 2021; 93:222-233. [PMID: 34826791 PMCID: PMC8688273 DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2021.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This longitudinal study designed and tested the validity of a new measure of prosocial risk taking - risks that individuals take in order to help others. METHODS The sample was racially and ethnically diverse adolescents in the rural Southeastern United States (N = 867; Mage = 12.82 years, 10-14 years at Wave 1; 50% Girls, 33% White non-Latinx, 27% Latinx, 20% Black, 20% Mixed/Other race/ethnicity). Adolescents completed self-report measures of the new prosocial risk-taking scale at baseline and one- and two-year follow-ups. RESULTS Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated excellent model fit with a 6-item single factor score. Further, the scale demonstrated good test-retest reliability at one and two-year follow ups. The scale also demonstrated convergent validity, such that prosocial risk taking was positively correlated with prosocial tendencies, empathy, and sensation seeking, and negatively correlated with negative risk-taking behavior and risk tolerance. Finally, we found significant differences by race/ethnicity (but not by gender) in prosocial risk taking, which were not attributable to measurement invariance, and should be interpreted in the context of ongoing societal inequalities between youth. CONCLUSIONS The new Prosocial Risk-Taking Scale yielded reliable scores in our sample. It may be used in future research to investigate individual differences in adolescents' prosocial risk taking, developmental change in prosocial risk taking, and the significance of prosocial risk taking for adolescents' emotional and social adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathy T Do
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | | | - Mitchell J Prinstein
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Eva H Telzer
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
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Sesso G, Brancati GE, Fantozzi P, Inguaggiato E, Milone A, Masi G. Measures of empathy in children and adolescents: A systematic review of questionnaires. World J Psychiatry 2021; 11:876-896. [PMID: 34733649 PMCID: PMC8546775 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v11.i10.876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Empathy has long been considered a multidimensional construct, encompassing cognitive, affective and behavioral domains. Deficits in empathic competences in early childhood contribute to psychopathology, and have been variably implicated in several clinical conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and conduct disorders. AIM To identify and describe empirically validated questionnaires assessing empathy in children and adolescents and to provide a summary of related theoretical perspectives on empathy definitional issues. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Three bibliographic databases were searched. A total of 47 studies were selected for final analysis and 16 distinct measures were identified and described. RESULTS Questionable to excellent levels of internal consistency were observed, while few studies assessed test-retest reliability. Although construct definitions only partially overlapped, affective and cognitive domains of empathy were the commonest internal factors that were often separately evaluated. New facets of the construct (i.e., somatic empathy and sympathy) and specific clinical populations (i.e., ASD) could be specifically addressed through more recent instruments. CONCLUSION The combination of different assessment methods is recommended in order to foresee further improvements in this field and try to overcome the problem of limited convergence with more objective measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Sesso
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa 56100, Italy
| | | | - Pamela Fantozzi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone 56128, Italy
| | - Emanuela Inguaggiato
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone 56128, Italy
| | - Annarita Milone
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone 56128, Italy
| | - Gabriele Masi
- IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, Scientific Institute of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, Calambrone 56128, Italy
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Tsou YT, Li B, Eichengreen A, Frijns JHM, Rieffe C. Emotions in Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Typically Hearing Children. JOURNAL OF DEAF STUDIES AND DEAF EDUCATION 2021; 26:469-482. [PMID: 34323978 PMCID: PMC8448426 DOI: 10.1093/deafed/enab022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
For deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children living in an environment where their access to linguistic input and social interactions is compromised, learning emotions could be difficult, which may further affect social functioning. To understand the role of emotion in DHH children's social life, this study investigated emotional functioning (i.e., emotion recognition, empathy, emotion expression), and its relation with social functioning (i.e., social competence and externalizing behaviors), in 55 DHH children and 74 children with typical hearing (aged 3-10 years; Mage = 6.04). Parental reports on children's emotional and social functioning and factors related to DHH children's hearing were collected. Results showed similar levels of emotional and social functioning in children with and without hearing loss. Use of auditory intervention and speech perception did not correlate with any measures in DHH children. In both groups, higher levels of empathy related to higher social competence and fewer externalizing behaviors; emotion recognition and positive emotion expression were unrelated to either aspect of social functioning. Higher levels of negative emotion expression related to lower social competence in both groups, but to more externalizing behaviors in DHH children only. DHH children in less linguistically accessible environments may not have adequate knowledge for appropriately expressing negative emotions socially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung-Ting Tsou
- Unit of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Boya Li
- Unit of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adva Eichengreen
- Unit of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Center for Disability Studies, The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- The E. Richard Feinberg Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Schneider Children's Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
| | - Johan H M Frijns
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Carolien Rieffe
- Unit of Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Human Media Interaction, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Institute of Education, University College London, London, UK
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Goldschmidt T, Petersen L, Booley S, Roman NV. Perspectives of nurturance within the parent-child relationship in resource-constrained families. Child Care Health Dev 2021; 47:494-500. [PMID: 33638196 DOI: 10.1111/cch.12861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurturing parents raise children in an engaged, flexible, emotionally expressive and supportive manner, which is associated with positive outcomes for children. While parenting research within the South African context is increasing, there is a lack of focus on nurturance within the parent-child relationship. Thus, this study sought to explore how parents nurture their children in resource-constrained environments in South Africa. METHOD A qualitative approach with an exploratory research design was used. Participants were purposively recruited via non-governmental institutions and key informants in the communities. A sample of 77 semi-structured interviews was conducted with participants from two rural areas, Calvinia and Lamberts Bay, in South Africa. RESULTS A thematic analysis of the data revealed two themes. The first theme is nurturance approaches, which encapsulate how parents nurture their children physically and emotionally. The second theme focuses on factors contributing to nurturance within the parent-child relationship with regard to parenting practices and external factors. CONCLUSION Although parents are nurturing children physically and emotionally, parenting capacity needs to be improved in the South African context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tessa Goldschmidt
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lisa Petersen
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Shakierah Booley
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nicolette V Roman
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Children, Families and Society, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
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Alexithymia and Autistic Traits as Contributing Factors to Empathy Difficulties in Preadolescent Children. J Autism Dev Disord 2021; 52:823-834. [PMID: 33788077 PMCID: PMC8813806 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-021-04986-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that, contrary to traditional views, empathy difficulties may not be a core feature of autism; but are rather due to co-occurring alexithymia. Empathy, alexithymia and autistic traits have yet to be examined concurrently in children. Therefore, we examined the co-occurrence of empathy difficulties and alexithymia in 59 typically developing and 5 autistic children. Multiple measures (self-report, parent-report and a behavioural task) were used to evaluate empathy and to assess differences in self- and parent-reports using multiple regressions. Alexithymia was found to predict empathy significantly better than autistic traits, providing support for the alexithymia hypothesis. From a therapeutic perspective, results suggest autistic children who screen positive for elevated alexithymic traits may benefit from additional support targeting emotion identification.
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Winters DE, Pruitt PJ, Fukui S, Cyders MA, Pierce BJ, Lay K, Damoiseaux JS. Network functional connectivity underlying dissociable cognitive and affective components of empathy in adolescence. Neuropsychologia 2021; 156:107832. [PMID: 33753085 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.107832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Empathy, the capacity to understand and share others' emotions, can occur through cognitive and affective components. These components are different conceptually, behaviorally, and in the brain. Neuroimaging task-based research in adolescents and adults document that cognitive empathy associates with the default mode and frontoparietal networks, whereas regions of the salience network underlie affective empathy. However, cognitive empathy is slower to mature than affective empathy and the extant literature reveals considerable developmental differences between adolescent and adult brains within and between these three networks. We extend previous work by examining empathy's association with functional connectivity within and between these networks in adolescents. Participants (n = 84, aged 13-17; 46.4% female) underwent resting state fMRI and completed self-report measures (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) for empathy as part of a larger Nathan-Kline Institute study. Regression analyses revealed adolescents reporting higher cognitive empathy had higher within DMN connectivity. Post hoc analysis revealed cognitive empathy's association within DMN connectivity is independent of affective empathy or empathy in general; and this association is driven by positive pairwise connections between the bilateral angular gyri and medial prefrontal cortex. These results suggest introspective cognitive processes related to the DMN are specifically important for cognitive empathy in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drew E Winters
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA.
| | | | | | - Melissa A Cyders
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, USA
| | | | - Kathy Lay
- Indiana University School of Social Work, USA
| | - Jessica S Damoiseaux
- Institute of Gerontology Wayne State University, USA; Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, USA
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Lu C, Liang L, Chen W, Bian Y. A Way to Improve Adolescents' Life Satisfaction: School Altruistic Group Games. Front Psychol 2021; 12:533603. [PMID: 33746810 PMCID: PMC7969496 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.533603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that adolescents are experiencing growing pains due to their unbalanced physical and mental development. Their life satisfaction showed a steady downward trend with age. Altruism may be an effective way to improve their life satisfaction. Against this background, the current study carried out school altruistic group games (SAGGs) for the first time to explore the role of altruistic group activities in the school context in improving adolescents’ life satisfaction. There were 176 adolescents in the study, including 90 in the experimental group and 86 in the control group, who were enrolled from a junior high school in East China. A 10-week school altruism group game was carried out for the experimental group. The participants in the control group participated in activities that were not related to altruism. Participants in both groups reported their life satisfaction and emotions before and after the games. The findings of this study were as follows: (1) SAGGs can effectively improve adolescents’ life satisfaction, especially school satisfaction; (2) SAGGs can significantly improve adolescents’ emotional state; that is, SAGGs can enhance positive emotions and reduce negative emotions; and (3) SAGGs have different effects on the life satisfaction of adolescents with different initial emotional states. The results of this study not only enrich the existing literature but also provide enlightenment and a reference for schools to improve adolescents’ life satisfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caixia Lu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Lichan Liang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenting Chen
- Faculty of English, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yufang Bian
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Assessment Toward Basic Education Quality, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Child and Family Education Research Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Institute of Mental Health and Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Richards L, Njau PF, Dahl RE. Study Protocol of a Distance Learning Intervention to Support Social Emotional Learning and Identity Development for Adolescents Using Interactive Mobile Technology. Front Public Health 2021; 9:623283. [PMID: 33585394 PMCID: PMC7879395 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.623283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The maturational period from age 10 to 14-often referred to as very young adolescents (VYAs)-represents a dynamic period of learning and neurobehavioral development as individuals transition from childhood to adolescence. This developmental period presents a window of opportunity for strategic investment to improve trajectories of health, education and well-being among young people. More specifically, neurodevelopmental changes during pubertal maturation influence neural circuitry involved in processing emotions, risks, rewards and social relationships. Technology can be leveraged to create social emotional learning experiences for VYAs and provide opportunities for flexible, distance learning in low-income countries. The aim of this study protocol is to detail how insights from developmental science can be used to inform the intervention design, implementation and evaluation of a distance learning, social emotional learning intervention for VYAs. Methods: This study will be delivered to 500 VYAs in Temeke District, Dar es salaam. Study participants will watch culturally-relevant, animated videos on social emotional mindsets and skills and content will be paired with experiential learning activities over a period of 10 weeks. A nested smart-phone based study will practice learning social emotional skills and mindsets through engagement with multi-media material via the WhatsApp messenger application. Surveys and in-depth interviews will be administered to adolescents, their parents/caregivers and teachers before and after the intervention to evaluate the effect of the intervention on study outcomes. Discussion: This study is among the first to provide results on how to effectively design a distance-learning intervention to promote social emotional learning and identity development within a low-resource context. The findings will provide substantial evidence to inform new intervention approaches that are effective in low-resource contexts and strategies to reach scale among similar programs invested in leveraging technology to support adolescent health and development. Clinical Trial registration: Study registered with ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier number NCT0445807.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Cherewick
- Department of Health Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, United States
| | - Sarah Lebu
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Christine Su
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Lisa Richards
- Health for a Prosperous Nation, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | | | - Ronald E. Dahl
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Cherewick M, Lebu S, Su C, Dahl RE. An Intervention to Enhance Social, Emotional, and Identity Learning for Very Young Adolescents and Support Gender Equity: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc 2020; 9:e23071. [PMID: 33206624 PMCID: PMC7808886 DOI: 10.2196/23071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The onset of puberty is a pivotal period of human development that is associated with significant changes in cognitive, social, emotional, psychological, and behavioral processes that shape identity formation. Very early adolescence provides a critical opportunity to shape identity formation around gender norms, attitudes, and beliefs before inequitable gender norms are amplified during and after puberty. OBJECTIVE The aim of the Discover Learning Project is to integrate strategic insights from developmental science to promote positive transformation in social, emotional, and gender identity learning among 10- to 11-year-olds in Tanzania. Through a pragmatic randomized controlled trial, the intervention scaffolds the development of critical social and emotional mindsets and skills (curiosity, generosity, persistence, purpose, growth mindset, and teamwork) delivered by conducting 18 after-school, technology-driven, experiential learning sessions in small, mixed-gender groups. METHODS The Discover Learning Intervention is a 3-arm randomized controlled trial that will be delivered to 579 participants selected from four public primary schools in Temeke District, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Randomization will be done at the individual level into 3 treatment groups receiving incremental intervention components. The treatment components include Discover Learning content curated into child-friendly videos, facilitated discussions, and a parent-child workbook, to be implemented over two phases, each 6 weeks long. A baseline survey will be administered to participants and their parents prior to the intervention. The process will be observed systematically, and data will be collected using surveys, in-depth interviews, observations, and focus group discussions with adolescents, parents, teachers, and facilitators conducted prior, during, and after each implementation phase. RESULTS This study builds on formative and pilot studies conducted with the target population to inform the design of the intervention. The results will generate new evidence that will inform strategies for achieving scale in Tanzania and provide insights for replication of similar programs that are invested in gender-transformative interventions in peri-urban, low-resource settings. CONCLUSIONS The Discover Learning Intervention makes an important contribution to the field of adolescent developmental science as an intervention designed for very young adolescents in a low-resource setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04458077; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04458077. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/23071.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Cherewick
- Department of Health Sciences, California State University East Bay, Hayward, CA, United States
| | - Sarah Lebu
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Christine Su
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | - Ronald E Dahl
- Institute of Human Development, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Rieffe C, O'Connor R, Bülow A, Willems D, Hull L, Sedgewick F, Stockmann L, Blijd-Hoogewys E. Quantity and quality of empathic responding by autistic and non-autistic adolescent girls and boys. AUTISM : THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND PRACTICE 2020; 25:199-209. [PMID: 32967463 PMCID: PMC7812514 DOI: 10.1177/1362361320956422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Empathy evokes support for the person in distress, and thus strengthening social cohesion. The question is to what extent empathic reactions can be observed in autistic adolescents and autistic girls in particular, since there is evidence that they have better social skills than boys, which might hinder their recognition as autistic. We examined 193 adolescents (autistic/non-autistic boys/girls) during an in vivo task in which the experimenter hurt herself. In line with our predictions, no group or gender differences appeared related to their attention for the event; yet autistic girls and boys showed less visible emotional arousal, indicative of less affective empathy. Autistic girls and boys reacted by comforting the experimenter equally often as their non-autistic peers, but autistic boys seemed to address the problem more often than any other group; while girls (autistic and non-autistic) more often addressed the emotion of the person in need. Our findings highlight that empathic behaviour – to some extent – seems similar between autistic and non-autistic boys and girls. However, differences exist, in terms of expressed emotional arousal and gender-specific comforting styles. Autistic girls’ higher levels of emotion-focused comforting could be explained by well-developed social skills, camouflaging, or emotional investment in relationships with others.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolien Rieffe
- Leiden University, The Netherlands.,University College London, UK
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38
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Tollenaar MS, Overgaauw S. Empathy and mentalizing abilities in relation to psychosocial stress in healthy adult men and women. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04488. [PMID: 32904299 PMCID: PMC7452492 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress has many consequences for our wellbeing, both physically and psychologically, underscoring the need to study markers of differential sensitivity to stressful situations. We examined associations between empathy and mentalizing abilities and psycho-physiological responses to a psychosocial stress task. We conducted two highly comparable studies, the first in men (N = 52) and the second in women (N = 72). Each study started with a self-report empathy measure and a mentalizing test [Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET)] followed by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) or a control task. Stress reactivity was confirmed in both men and women with significantly higher levels of cortisol, blood pressure, and subjective stress levels in response to the TSST compared to the control task. Higher accuracy on the RMET significantly predicted higher cortisol and heart rate reactivity, while self-reported empathic concern significantly predicted higher subjective stress reactivity. These associations were found in men, and when men and women were analyzed together. This indicates that higher levels of mentalizing and empathic abilities may confer sensitivity to socially stressful situations. While a moderation analysis indicated no gender differences in these associations, the findings could not be directly replicated in women. This suggests that gender may impact such associations and that replication of the findings in larger samples is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marieke S. Tollenaar
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, the Netherlands
| | - Sandy Overgaauw
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, the Netherlands
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Farina N, Hughes LJ, Jones E, Parveen S, Griffiths AW, Galvin K, Banerjee S. The effect of a dementia awareness class on changing dementia attitudes in adolescents. BMC Geriatr 2020; 20:188. [PMID: 32487024 PMCID: PMC7265248 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-020-01589-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Current evidence suggests that negative and stigmatising attitudes towards dementia may develop at a young age. There are a number of dementia education and awareness initiatives aimed at reducing stigma, though they have not been robustly evaluated to establish the impact on dementia attitudes or suitability in adolescent populations. This study explored the efficacy and satisfaction of one such initiative (Dementia Friends) in a British adolescent sample. Methods 301 adolescents (M = 12.6 years old, SD = 0.73) were assigned to either receive Dementia Friends (a 60-min interactive class that teaches about dementia and its effects on people’s lives) or education as usual. All participants completed a series of validated questionnaires pre- and post-intervention, related to dementia attitudes (Brief A-ADS and KIDS). Results Adolescents in the dementia awareness group showed little to no improvements between time-points. The change scores in the dementia awareness group did not significantly differ to the control group based on both KIDS (d = − 0.003, p = 0.98) and Brief A-ADS (d = 0.14, p = 0.13) measures. There was no Group x Time effect after controlling for confounding variables. Conclusions Dementia Friends is successful in terms of reach and impact, though this study suggests that it may fall short of achieving its goal of improving attitudes towards dementia. Importantly, Dementia Friends did not have a negative effect on attitudes, and the majority of adolescents enjoyed the sessions. It is important that these findings are replicated in a larger randomised-controlled study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Farina
- Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RY, UK.
| | - Laura J Hughes
- Centre for Dementia Studies, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RY, UK
| | - Ellen Jones
- Brighton and Hove Dementia Action Alliance, Brighton, UK
| | - Sahdia Parveen
- Centre for Applied Dementia Studies, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Alys W Griffiths
- Centre for Dementia Research, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Kathleen Galvin
- School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton, Brighton, UK
| | - Sube Banerjee
- Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
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Lazdauskas T, Nasvytienė D. Psychometric properties of Lithuanian versions of empathy questionnaires for children. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/17405629.2020.1772048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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van de Groep S, Meuwese R, Zanolie K, Güroğlu B, Crone EA. Developmental Changes and Individual Differences in Trust and Reciprocity in Adolescence. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR RESEARCH ON ADOLESCENCE 2020; 30 Suppl 1:192-208. [PMID: 30325088 PMCID: PMC7028103 DOI: 10.1111/jora.12459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
A Trust Game was used to examine trust and reciprocity development in 12-18-year-old-adolescents (N = 496), as findings have been conflicting and transitions in adolescence remain elusive. Furthermore, this study tested the roles of gender, risk, and individual differences in empathy, impulsivity, and antisocial tendencies in trust and reciprocity. Results indicate stability in trust and a decrease in reciprocity across adolescence, but also show that trust and reciprocity choices were influenced by risk, and that empathy mediated the age-related decrease in reciprocity. Males trusted more than females, but there were no gender differences in reciprocity. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual differences and adolescents' sensitivities to varying contexts in explaining trust and reciprocity development in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne van de Groep
- Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
- Brain and Development Research Center
| | - Rosa Meuwese
- Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
- Brain and Development Research Center
| | - Kiki Zanolie
- Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
- Brain and Development Research Center
| | - Berna Güroğlu
- Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
- Brain and Development Research Center
| | - Eveline A. Crone
- Leiden University
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
- Brain and Development Research Center
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Blankenstein NE, Telzer EH, Do KT, van Duijvenvoorde ACK, Crone EA. Behavioral and Neural Pathways Supporting the Development of Prosocial and Risk-Taking Behavior Across Adolescence. Child Dev 2019; 91:e665-e681. [PMID: 31452199 PMCID: PMC7317487 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
This study tested the pathways supporting adolescent development of prosocial and rebellious behavior. Self‐report and structural brain development data were obtained in a three‐wave, longitudinal neuroimaging study (8–29 years, N = 210 at Wave 3). First, prosocial and rebellious behavior assessed at Wave 3 were positively correlated. Perspective taking and intention to comfort uniquely predicted prosocial behavior, whereas fun seeking (current levels and longitudinal changes) predicted both prosocial and rebellious behaviors. These changes were accompanied by developmental declines in nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) volumes, but only faster decline of MPFC (faster maturity) related to less rebellious behavior. These findings point toward a possible differential susceptibility marker, fun seeking, as a predictor of both prosocial and rebellious developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kathy T Do
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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Merino-Soto C, López-Fernández V, Grimaldo-Muchotrigo M. Invarianza de Medición y Estructural de la Escala Básica de Empatía Breve (BES-B) en Niños y Adolescentes Peruanos. REVISTA COLOMBIANA DE PSICOLOGÍA 2019. [DOI: 10.15446/rcp.v28n2.69478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar la invarianza de medición y la invarianza estructural de una medida de empatía, para niños y adolescentes peruanos. Los participantes fueron 417, provenientes de Lima Metropolitana. Se aplicó la Escala Básica de Empatía Breve (BES-B) de manera estandarizada. El análisis consistió en aplicar el modelamiento de ecuaciones estructurales para evaluar la invarianza de medición y las medias latentes en los constructos de empatía afectiva y cognitiva. Los resultados muestran que la invarianza de medición se mantiene satisfactoriamente de acuerdo al género y la edad; las diferencias en las medias latentes muestran ser entre fuertes o moderadas respecto a la edad y el sexo. Se discuten las implicaciones teóricas y prácticas.
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Linking Parent-Child and Peer Relationship Quality to Empathy in Adolescence: A Multilevel Meta-Analysis. J Youth Adolesc 2019; 48:1033-1055. [PMID: 30810858 PMCID: PMC6525137 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-019-00993-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Empathy, which is the ability to feel concern for and to understand others’ feelings, is thought to develop in high quality relationships with parent and peers, but also to facilitate the quality of these relationships. While a wide literature has addressed this aspect, the heterogeneity of primary studies, in which different indicators of relationship quality (e.g., support, conflict) and empathy (i.e., affective and cognitive) have been examined, makes it difficult to draw conclusive answers. Therefore, it remained ambiguous how parent–child and peer relationship quality are associated with adolescents’ empathy. In order to increase the understanding of these associations, a multilevel meta-analysis was performed, which allowed for including multiple effect sizes from each study. By a systematic literate search, 70 eligible studies were found that provided 390 effect sizes from 75 independent samples. The results showed a small positive correlation between parent–child relationship quality and empathy, and a small-to-moderate positive correlation between peer relationship quality and empathy, which was significantly stronger than the correlation with parent–child relationship quality. Hence, the meta-analytic results indicate that adolescents with higher quality relationships, especially with peers, indeed tend to show more concern for and understanding of others’ emotions than adolescents with lower quality relationships. Moreover, the moderation analyses showed stronger correlations for the positive dimension of relationship quality than for the negative dimension, and stronger correlations for composite scores of affective and cognitive empathy than for separate scores of the empathy dimensions. However, no differences in correlations were found between the affective and cognitive empathy dimension, and no moderation effects were found for gender and age. Thus, this meta-analysis demonstrates robust positive associations between parent–child and peer relationship quality and empathy in adolescence, implying that good empathic abilities may be a protective factor for experiencing poor relationships.
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van den Bedem NP, Willems D, Dockrell JE, van Alphen PM, Rieffe C. Interrelation between empathy and friendship development during (pre)adolescence and the moderating effect of developmental language disorder: A longitudinal study. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/sode.12353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Julie E. Dockrell
- Department of Psychology and Human Development Institute of Education, University College London London UK
| | | | - Carolien Rieffe
- Institute of Psychology Leiden University The Netherlands
- NSDSK Amsterdam The Netherlands
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Netten AP, Rieffe C, Theunissen SCPM, Soede W, Dirks E, Briaire JJ, Frijns JHM. Low empathy in deaf and hard of hearing (pre)adolescents compared to normal hearing controls. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124102. [PMID: 25906365 PMCID: PMC4408107 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the level of empathy in deaf and hard of hearing (pre)adolescents compared to normal hearing controls and to define the influence of language and various hearing loss characteristics on the development of empathy. METHODS The study group (mean age 11.9 years) consisted of 122 deaf and hard of hearing children (52 children with cochlear implants and 70 children with conventional hearing aids) and 162 normal hearing children. The two groups were compared using self-reports, a parent-report and observation tasks to rate the children's level of empathy, their attendance to others' emotions, emotion recognition, and supportive behavior. RESULTS Deaf and hard of hearing children reported lower levels of cognitive empathy and prosocial motivation than normal hearing children, regardless of their type of hearing device. The level of emotion recognition was equal in both groups. During observations, deaf and hard of hearing children showed more attention to the emotion evoking events but less supportive behavior compared to their normal hearing peers. Deaf and hard of hearing children attending mainstream education or using oral language show higher levels of cognitive empathy and prosocial motivation than deaf and hard of hearing children who use sign (supported) language or attend special education. However, they are still outperformed by normal hearing children. CONCLUSIONS Deaf and hard of hearing children, especially those in special education, show lower levels of empathy than normal hearing children, which can have consequences for initiating and maintaining relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouk P. Netten
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Carolien Rieffe
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Dutch Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie C. P. M. Theunissen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Wim Soede
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien Dirks
- Dutch Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Child, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen J. Briaire
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Johan H. M. Frijns
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, The Netherlands
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