Empathy and Interpersonal Style

Abstract

The current study examined the traumatic impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist strikes on a normal population of 228 college students living in Louisville, Kentucky. Personality correlates including emotional empathy, interpersonal style, and coping style were assessed as predictors of psychological distress during this period. Structural equation modeling was used to test both a four-factor and five-factor interpersonal state-mediator and a four-factor interpersonal trait-predictor model of secondary traumatic stress. Although both four-factor models demonstrated non-significant chi square values, the four-factor interpersonal trait-predictor model was superior in its parsimony and fit. Implications for the mediational role of interpersonal style in developing a clinical understanding of secondary traumatic stress and potential treatments for this disorder are discussed.