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Liang YS, Yang HX, Zhang YJ, Cai XL, Wang YY, Ni K, Pu CC, Zhou SZ, Ma YT, Lui SSY, Wang Y, Yu X, Chan RCK. Validation of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in patients with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Cogn Neuropsychiatry 2020; 25:466-479. [PMID: 33172340 DOI: 10.1080/13546805.2020.1846025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Alteration of empathy is common in patients with psychiatric disorders. Reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring empathy of clinical samples is needed. The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a newly-developed instrument to capture cognitive and affective components of empathy. This study aimed to validate the QCAE and compared self-reported empathy between clinical groups with varied psychiatric diagnoses and healthy sample. METHODS The present study performed factor analysis for the QCAE on clinical samples in the Chinese setting (n = 534), including patients with schizophrenia (n = 158), bipolar disorder (n = 213) and major depressive disorder (n = 163). Internal consistency, internal correlation and convergent validity was examined in the subsample (n = 361). Group comparison among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and healthy controls (n = 107) was conducted to assess the discriminant validity. RESULTS Our results indicated acceptable factor model, good reliability and validity of the QCAE. Impaired cognitive empathy was found in clinical samples, especially in patients with schizophrenia, while higher affective empathy was found in patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. CONCLUSION The QCAE is a useful tool in assessing empathy in patients with varied psychiatric diagnoses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Si Liang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Han-Xue Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi-Jing Zhang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin-Lu Cai
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yu Wang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ke Ni
- Qiqihar Mental Health Center, Heilongjiang, People's Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Cheng Pu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Shu-Zhe Zhou
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Tao Ma
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Simon S Y Lui
- Department of Psychiatry, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China.,Castle Peak Hospital, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Wang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), Beijing, People's Republic of China.,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Raymond C K Chan
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Horan WP, Reise SP, Kern RS, Lee J, Penn DL, Green MF. Structure and correlates of self-reported empathy in schizophrenia. J Psychiatr Res 2015; 66-67:60-6. [PMID: 25985922 PMCID: PMC4458171 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2015.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 04/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Research on empathy in schizophrenia has relied on dated self-report scales that do not conform to contemporary social neuroscience models of empathy. The current study evaluated the structure and correlates of the recently-developed Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) in schizophrenia. This measure, whose structure and validity was established in healthy individuals, includes separate scales to assess the two main components of empathy: Cognitive Empathy (assessed by two subscales) and Affective Empathy (assessed by three subscales). Stable outpatients with schizophrenia (n = 145) and healthy individuals (n = 45) completed the QCAE, alternative measures of empathy, and assessments of clinical symptoms, neurocognition, and functional outcome. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provided consistent support for a two-factor solution in the schizophrenia group, justifying the use of separate cognitive and affective empathy scales in this population. However, one of the three Affective Empathy subscales was not psychometrically sound and was excluded from further analyses. Patients reported significantly lower Cognitive Empathy but higher Affective Empathy than controls. Among patients, the QCAE scales showed significant correlations with an alternative self-report empathy scale, but not with performance on an empathic accuracy task. The QCAE Cognitive Empathy subscales also showed significant, though modest, correlations with negative symptoms and functional outcome. These findings indicate that structure of self-reported empathy is similar in people with schizophrenia and healthy subjects, and can be meaningfully compared between groups. They also contribute to emerging evidence that some aspects of empathy may be intact or hyper-responsive in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- William P. Horan
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
| | | | - Robert S. Kern
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
| | - Junghee Lee
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
| | - David L. Penn
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VI
| | - Michael F. Green
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System,Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA
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Michaels TM, Horan WP, Ginger EJ, Martinovich Z, Pinkham AE, Smith MJ. Cognitive empathy contributes to poor social functioning in schizophrenia: Evidence from a new self-report measure of cognitive and affective empathy. Psychiatry Res 2014; 220:S0165-1781(14)00751-3. [PMID: 25412980 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2014.08.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2014] [Accepted: 08/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive empathy impairments have been linked to poor social functioning in schizophrenia. However, prior studies primarily used self-reported empathy measures developed decades ago that are not well-aligned with contemporary models of empathy. We evaluated empathy and its relationship to social functioning in schizophrenia using the recently developed Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE). Schizophrenia (n=52) and healthy comparison (n=37) subjects completed the QCAE, Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and measures of neurocognition, symptoms, and social functioning. Between-group differences on the QCAE, and relationships between QCAE and IRI subscales, neurocognition, symptoms, and social functioning were examined. The schizophrenia group reported significantly lower cognitive empathy than comparison subjects, which was driven by low online simulation scores. Cognitive empathy explained significant variance in social functioning after accounting for neurocognition and symptoms. Group differences for affective empathy were variable; the schizophrenia group reported similar proximal responsivity, but elevated emotion contagion relative to comparison subjects. These findings bolster support for the presence and functional significance of impaired cognitive empathy in schizophrenia using a contemporary measure of empathy. Emerging evidence that some aspects of affective empathy may be unimpaired or hyper-responsive in schizophrenia and implications for the assessment and treatment of empathy in schizophrenia are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania M Michaels
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - William P Horan
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Geffen School of Medicine at University of California at Los Angeles, USA; VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, VISN22 MIRECC, USA
| | - Emily J Ginger
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Zoran Martinovich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Amy E Pinkham
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, USA
| | - Matthew J Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA; Warren Wright Adolescent Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
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