Abstract
The construct of “empathy” embodies a number of characteristics necessary for psychological health in children. Surprisingly, most research has been based solely on children and adolescent report and observational measures despite evidence that multi-informant assessment is fundamental to the accurate measurement of such constructs. We present research documenting the development and validation of a brief parent-report measure of child empathy targeted at the formative years for the development of empathic skills, through to adolescence. The Griffith Empathy Measure, adapted from the Bryant Index of Empathy, showed convergence with child ratings, and good reliability and validity across gender and age. Consistent with theoretical accounts of empathy, it was found to include affective and cognitive components that showed divergent associations with other aspects of child functioning.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lovett BJ, Sheffield RA (2007) Affective empathy deficits in aggressive children and adolescents: a critical review. Clin Psychol Rev 27:1–13
Eisenberg N, Strayer J (eds) (1987) Empathy and its development. Cambridge University Press, New York
Borke H (1971) Interpersonal perception of young children: egocentrism or empathy? Dev Psychol 5:263–269
Blair RJR (2005) Responding to the emotions of others: dissociating forms of empathy through the study of typical and psychiatric populations. Conscious Cogn 14:698–718
Gladstein GA (1983) Understanding empathy: integrating counseling, developmental, and social psychology perspectives. J Couns Psychol 30:467–482
Hoffman ML (1984) Interaction of affect and cognition in empathy. In Izard C, Kagan J, Zajonic RB (eds) Emotions, cognitions and behaviour. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Eisenberg N, Fabes, R (1990) Empathy: conceptualization, measurement, and relation to prosocial behaviour. Motiv Emotion 14:131–149
Duan C, Hill, CE (1996) The current state of empathy research. J Couns Psychol 43:261–274
Hart T (1999) The refinement of empathy. J Human Psychol 39(4):111–125
Hoffman ML (1990) Empathy and justice motivation. Motiv Emotion 14:151–172
Miller PA, Eisenberg, N (1988) The relation of empathy to aggressive and externalizing antisocial behaviour. Psychol Bull 103:324–344
Litvack-Miller W, McDougal D, Romney, DM (1997) The structure of empathy during middle childhood and its relationship to prosocial behavior. Genet Soc Gen Psychol Monogr 123:303–325
Bryant BK (1982) An index of empathy for children and adolescents. Child Dev 53:413–425
Eisenberg N, Miller, P (1987) The relation of empathy to prosocial and related behaviours. Psychol Bull 101:91–119
Eisenberg-Berg N, Hand, M (1979) The relationship of preschooler’s reasoning about prosocial moral conflicts to prosocial behaviour. Child Dev 50:356–363
Eisenberg N, Lennon, R (1983) Gender differences in empathy and related capacities. Psychol Bull 94:100–131
Barnett MA, Howard JA, Melton, EM, Dino, GA (1982) Effect of inducing sadness about self and other on helping behaviour in high- and low-empathic children. Child Dev 53:920–923
Dadds MR, Fraser J, Frost A, Hawes, D (2005) Disentangling conduct problems and early psychopathic traits in children: a longitudinal community study. J Consult Clin Psychol 73:400–410
Dadds MR, Hawes D (2004) The interpersonal response test. Author: The University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia
Mehrabian A, Epstein N (1972) A measure of emotional empathy. J Pers 40:525–543
Goodman R (1997) The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: a research note. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 38:581–586
Goodman R, Scott S (1999) Comparing the strengths and difficulties questionnaire and the child behavior checklist: is small beautiful? J Abnorm Child Psychol 27:17–24
Hawes D, Dadds MR (2004) Psychometric properties of the strengths and difficulties questionnaire on a large Australian community sample. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 38:644–651
Dunn LM, Dunn LM (1981) Peabody picture vocabulary test-revised. American Guidance Service, Circle Pines, MN
Dadds MR, Whiting C, Bunn P, Fraser J, Charlson J (2004) Measurement of cruelty in children: the cruelty to animals inventory. J Abnorm Child Psychol 32:321–334
O’Connor BP (2000) SPSS and SAS programs for determining the number of components using parallel analysis and Velicer’s MAP test. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput 32:396–402
Zahn-Waxler C, Cole PM, Richardson DT, Friedman RJ (1994) Social problem solving in disruptive preschool children: reactions to hypothetical situations of conflict and distress. Merrill Palmer Q 40:98–119
Lovibond SH, Lovibond PF (1995) Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales. Psychology Foundation of Australia, Sydney
Dadds MR, Whiting C, Hawes D (2006) Associations among cruelty to animals, family conflict, and psychopathic traits in childhood. J Interpers Violence 21:411–429
Feshbach ND (1975) Empathy in children: some theoretical and empirical considerations. Couns Psychol 5:25–30
Pedhazur EJ, Schmelkin LP (1991) Measurement, design and analysis. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ
Strayer J, Roberts W (2004) Empathy and observed anger and aggression in five-year-olds. Soc Dev 13:1–13
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dadds, M.R., Hunter, K., Hawes, D.J. et al. A Measure of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in Children Using Parent Ratings. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev 39, 111–122 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-007-0075-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-007-0075-4