Adaptation and Validation of a French Version of the Griffith Empathy Measure

Abstract

This study aimed to validate a French adaptation of the Griffith Empathy Measure (GEM-vf). Belgian mothers of 516 children from 3 to 12 years old completed the French versions of the GEM, the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue-vf), the Theory of Mind Inventory-1 (ToMI-1-vf) and the Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC-vf). The Theory of Mind Task Battery was administered to the children. A principal component analysis showed a two-factor structure in GEM-vf: affective and cognitive empathy. Internal consistency was good. The GEM-vf scores varied depending on age. Affective empathy was higher in girls. In terms of convergent validity, positive and significant correlations were obtained between total, affective and cognitive empathy scores in GEM-vf and scores in ToM skills and in emotion regulation. The three scores in GEM-vf were negatively and significantly correlated with emotion dysregulation. In a subsample of 299 children from 3 to 6 years old, positive and significant correlations were found between scores for total and affective empathy in GEM-vf and for attention to others’ feelings and prosocial actions in EmQue-vf. Cognitive empathy scores in GEM-vf were significantly related to those for prosocial actions in EmQue-vf. The GEM-vf presents good reliability and validity and could be useful to assess typically and atypically developing children in research and clinical practice.