The Role of Empathy in Peer Relationships During Childhood and Adolescence

Abstract

Empathy holds pivotal significance in fostering favorable peer engagements throughout the phases of childhood and adolescence. Although there is a large body of literature that addresses this issue, studies undertaken with children and adolescents have shown inconclusive results about the correlation between empathy and peer relationships. Various measures of peer relationships (such as peer attachment, friendships, and peer acceptability) and empathy (including affective and cognitive empathy, perspective-taking, and Theory of Mind) all contributes to challenges in reaching definitive conclusions. Hence, the association between peer relationships and empathy in children and adolescents remains unclear. Current work seeks to (a) provide an overview of how empathy is commonly conceptualised and quantified in child development and adolescent research, and (b) address pressing difficulties with empathy research in both child development and adulthood. It indicates the distinct roles played by affective and cognitive empathy in different constructs of peer interactions and prosocial behaviours. Additionally, the relationship between empathy and various aspects of peer relationships shows variation between genders and by using different measurements. We conclude by offering suggestions for future research on (a) distinguishing different aspects of empathy; (b). providing a more comprehensive framework of empathy; (c). examining the mediating role of gender in association between empathy and peer relationships.