Abstract
Traumatic events increase the risk of depression, but there is also evidence that adversity can lead to posttraumatic growth, including increased compassion and prosocial behavior. To date there is no empirical research pinpointing childhood trauma to an increase in trait empathy in adulthood. Although somewhat counter-intuitive, this might be predicted if trauma not only increases fear of future threat but also renders the individual more sensitive to suffering in others. We explored this possible link using multiple studies, self-report measures, and non-clinical samples. Results across samples and measures showed that, on average, adults who reported experiencing a traumatic event in childhood had elevated empathy levels compared to adults who did not experience a traumatic event. Further, the severity of the trauma correlated positively with various components of empathy. These findings suggest that the experience of a childhood trauma increases a person’s ability to take the perspective of another and to understand their mental and emotional states, and that this impact is long-standing. Future research needs to test if this is seen on performance measures, and how these findings extend to clinical populations.
Highlights
Psychological and physical trauma can have profound effects on development and well-being throughout the life-course
There is an abundance of research on the negative outcomes of trauma, emerging evidence suggests that experiencing adversity can increase posttraumatic growth including compassion and prosocial behavior [3,4]
Research has yet to pinpoint if traumatic events, in childhood, link to trait empathy in adulthood
Summary
Psychological and physical trauma can have profound effects on development and well-being throughout the life-course. People who experience a childhood trauma are at risk for a variety of negative health outcomes, but paradoxically there are opportunities for personal growth [1,2]. There is an abundance of research on the negative outcomes of trauma, emerging evidence suggests that experiencing adversity can increase posttraumatic growth including compassion and prosocial behavior [3,4]. Research has yet to pinpoint if traumatic events, in childhood, link to trait empathy in adulthood We address this gap in the literature by testing if trait empathy differs for adults who experienced a childhood trauma compared to those who did not.
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