Low Empathy Research Articles

The Origins of the Dark—Hyperactivity and Negative Peer Relationships, an Objectively Lower Sleep Efficiency, and a Longer Sleep Onset Latency at Age Five Were Associated with Callous-Unemotional Traits and Low Empathy at Age 14

Within the spectrum of emotional competencies, callous-unemotional traits are socially discouraged, while empathy is considered a socially much more accepted emotional trait. This holds particularly true for adolescents, who are still building up their social and emotional competencies. The aims of the present study were two-fold: First, longitudinally, to identify traits of behavioral problems and objective sleep dimensions at the age of 5 years to predict callous-unemotional traits and empathy at the age of 14 years. Second, cross-sectionally, to associate callous-unemotional traits and empathy with current insomnia, stress, and mental toughness. Preschoolers at the age of 5 years were contacted nine years later at the age of 14 years. At 5 years, parents rated their children's behavior (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ); in parallel, children underwent a one-night sleep-EEG assessment. At the age of 14 years, adolescents completed a series of questionnaires covering callous-unemotional traits, insomnia, empathy, stress, and mental toughness. A total of 77 adolescents (38.1% females) took part in the present study. Longitudinally, higher scores for hyperactivity at age 5 significantly predicted higher callous-unemotional traits at age 14. A higher score for negative peer relationships at age 5 significantly predicted lower scores for cognitive empathy at age 14. Further, objective sleep-EEG measures showed that a higher sleep efficiency and a shorter sleep latency was associated with lower scores for callousness. Cross-sectionally, higher scores for callous-unemotional traits were associated with higher insomnia and stress, while lower insomnia was associated with higher empathy. Mental toughness was unrelated to callous-unemotional traits and empathy. It appears that hyperactivity traits and negative peer relationships and more unfavorable objective sleep patterns at 5 years predicted socially discouraged callous-unemotional traits and low empathy during adolescence. Further, cross-sectionally at the age of 14, callous-unemotional traits, subjective poor sleep, and higher stress were associated.

Social Information Processing Theory Indicators of Child Abuse Risk: Cultural Comparison of Mothers from Peru and the United States

Much of the research conducted on social information processing (SIP) factors predictive of child abuse risk has been conducted in North America, raising questions about how applicable such models may be in other cultures. Based on the premise that the parents' child abuse risk is affected by both risk and protective factors, the current study considered how specific SIP socio-cognitive risk factors (acceptability of parent-child aggression as a discipline approach; empathic ability; frustration tolerance) as well as social support satisfaction as a resource related to child abuse risk by comparing a sample of mothers in Peru (n = 102) with a sample of mothers in the U.S. (n = 180). Using multi-group regression analyses, the current investigation identified that lower empathy was more salient for the abuse risk of U.S. mothers relative to the salience of lower frustration tolerance for Peruvian mothers. Although effects were observed for the approval of parent-aggression for the child abuse risk of both samples, such approval did not appear to be related to the Peruvian mothers' actual use of such tactics. When considered alongside the socio-cognitive risk factors, greater social support satisfaction did not significantly relate to child abuse risk for either sample. The findings are discussed in reference to future cross-cultural work that may need to better examine how factors may or may not be universal to craft more culturally informed child abuse prevention programs.

Evaluating the implementation of the perinatal maternal route in a group of students of the psychology program of two Universites in Colombia during the period 2022

Introduction Reducing maternal and newborn mortality is apriority on the health agenda. Priority, integral, integrated and barrier-free care a attention to the population frames the spirit of the route. The Comprehensive Care Route in Perinatal Maternal Health (CRPMH) proposes “to promote health and the improvement of maternal and perinatal health outcomes, through comprehensive health care, including coordinated action FROM the state, THE society and the family on the social and environmental determinants of health inequities” (Minsalud). Objectives To evaluate the implementation of the CRPMH in a group of maternal students from 0-12 months. Methods Qualitative, through semi-structured interview techniques and focused groups (FG) referenced from the CRPMH (table 1) in 11 undergraduate students in psychology over 18 years from 2 Colombian universities. Results Qualitative analysis evaluates convergences/divergences by percentages of questionnaire responses and axial text analysis (FG). In preconception attention 100% of mothers do not report signs of health risk, however, caesarean section was performed in 83.3% of cases, this safer method is perceived for the mother and fetus, and is justified taking into account that the pain of childbirth is very strong (FG). In gestational health they indicate prenatal control, medical appointments, formation in the condition of the fetus, guidelines on care, respectful upbringing and breastfeeding in 100%. In contrast, the focus group reports low empathy of doctors toward levels their fears, reduced time to address concerns, negative information about labor and satisfaction with medical procedures, considering caesarean section a humanized strategy. Access to CRPMH is known by 50% of mothers, they do not know the preconceptional consultation. In the GF they conclude that the information on preparation for maternity and paternity is ineffective. Psychological support is absent during childbirth and postpartum. There is a greater knowledge about breastfeeding 83.3% Discussion The successful implementation of the route could reduce the risks of physical and psychological impact on perinatal maternal health by facilitating decisions about motherhood and its practice in the university educational environment. There was recognition of the clinical factors of the CRPMH and ignorance of the responsibility of the educational environment in its implementation. Image: Conclusions The CCRPMH regulation is insufficient to guarantee its implementation. Risk factors include the quality of service provided by health-care providers and the lack of knowledge of regulations in university management. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

Moderated moderation effect of empathy and resilience on the relationship between geriatric care-related stress and geriatric nursing practice among secondary hospital nurses: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether empathy and resilience moderate the relationship between geriatric care-related stress and geriatric nursing practice among secondary hospital nurses.Methods: Data were collected from three secondary hospitals in J province from July 20, 2022, to August 10, 2022. Nurses with at least three months of employment were convenience sampled, and a structured questionnaire was used. A total of 218 questionnaires were included in the analysis. The collected data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 24.0 software.Results: Geriatric nursing practice was significantly positively correlated with geriatric care-related stress, empathy, and resilience. Empathy moderated the effects of geriatric care-related stress on geriatric nursing practice, and this moderating effect was re-moderated by resilience (moderated moderation effect). In other words, nurses with high resilience and empathy tended to show stronger geriatric nursing practice even with elevated geriatric care-related stress. Conversely, nurses with high resilience and low empathy tended to show weaker geriatric nursing practice with increasing geriatric care-related stress.Conclusion: These results highlight the need for multilateral efforts to reduce nurses’ stress related to geriatric care and enhance their empathy and resilience, ultimately promoting geriatric nursing practice. This study has important implications for nursing practice. Specifically, it is the first to confirm a moderated moderation effect of empathy and resilience on the relationship between geriatric care-related stress and geriatric nursing practice among nurses. Subsequent studies should identify whether other factors moderate the relationship between geriatric care-related stress and geriatric nursing practice.

Agreeableness and Adolescents' Cyberbullying Perpetration: A Longitudinal Moderated Mediation Model of Moral Disengagement and Empathy.

The current study explored whether agreeableness predicted cyberbullying perpetration across 3 years and extended previous studies by exploring the mediating effect of moral disengagement and the moderating effects of empathy and gender. The participants included 2,407 adolescents from seven middle schools in China. They were recruited to complete the Big Five Personality Inventory, Bullying Scale and Empathy Scale at Time 1, Moral Disengagement Scale at Time 1 and Time 2, and Cyberbullying Perpetration Scale at Time 1, Time 2, and Time 3. Agreeableness at Time 1 predicted cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 and moral disengagement at Time 2 mediated this relationship. The relationship between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was stronger for low cognitive empathy adolescents than high cognitive empathy adolescents at Time 1. The relationship between agreeableness at Time 1 and cyberbullying perpetration adolescents at Time 3 was stronger for low affective empathy than high affective empathy adolescents at Time 1. The link between moral disengagement at Time 2 and cyberbullying perpetration at Time 3 was weaker for females than males. Low agreeableness adolescents are more likely to use moral disengagement, which in turn leads to more cyberbullying perpetration.

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Relationship with Empathy and Alexithymia.

Several studies showed that adults who have experienced childhood adversity are more likely to develop alexithymia and low empathy. Therefore, this research aims to analyze the relationship between childhood adversity and alexithymia and empathy in adulthood and verify a predictive explanatory model of alexithymia. The sample comprised 92 adults who responded to the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Childhood History Questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Alexithymia Scale of Toronto. Childhood adversity showed a positive relationship with alexithymia and a negative relationship with empathy. Predictive validity showed that marital status, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and empathic concern predicted higher alexithymia scores. These results show the impact of these childhood experiences on adult life, underlining the importance of developing intervention programs in this field.

Implicações da empatia nas funções executivas dos estudantes com problemas de coexistência escolar

Introduction: executive functions are the set of cognitive skills necessary to control and self-regulate behavior, and empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what others feel. Both variables interact with each other to regulate aggressive behaviors, thus low levels of empathy and poor performance in executive functions have been associated with different difficulties in school coexistence, including bullying. Objective: this study examined the role of empathy and executive functions in a population of students between 12-17 years old, belonging to a private educational institution in the municipality of Bello, Antioquia. Methodology: the research was descriptive and cross-sectional in scope. Questionnaires on school coexistence, prosocial behavior, and instruments to assess executive functions such as the TMT part B, the Stroop and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were applied. Results: it was evidenced that there is an association between low empathy and deficiencies in the performance of executive functions, and a relationship between adequate levels of empathy and good performance in executive functions, in the sample of students evaluated. Conclusions: a high level of empathy in prosocial students is related to better executive processing in selective attention, conflict resolution, and inhibitory control.

Differences in emotional contagion, interpersonal relationships and social rewards in males and females: examining the links with primary and secondary psychopathic traits

AbstractIndividuals with psychopathic traits display low empathy and as a result they have difficulties maintaining meaningful relationships. Emotional contagion, the ability to automatically mimic others’ emotional states (facial expressions, movements), is a precursor of empathy that contributes to relationship quality and is impaired in individuals with psychopathic traits. The current study examines sex differences in primary and secondary psychopathic traits in a sample of 389 participants (Mage = 33.61; 241 females) and the association of these personality traits with romantic and peer relationships, susceptibility to negative (sadness, fear, anger) and positive (happiness, love) emotional contagion and social motivation factors. Hierarchical multiple regressions run separately in male and female participants, revealed different factors contribute to the maintenance of primary and secondary psychopathic traits. Findings infer different difficulties in social functioning (forming and maintaining relationships), regulating emotions, empathizing via emotional contagion, and motivating factors to engage socially, relate to primary and secondary traits, as well as differences in men and women. This research reflects the importance of investigating psychopathic traits heterogeneously in males and females, to better inform prevention efforts focused on hindering the development and maintenance of these personality traits.

Chatbots or me? Consumers’ switching between human agents and conversational agents

With the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in organizational frontlines, customers' service experiences have begun to shift from interactions with service personnel to those with technology. However, only a few studies have explored customers' behavioral switch from human-mediated services to technology-mediated ones with regard to the application of AI in frontline services. Based on the push–pull mooring framework, this study explored the determinants that affect consumers’ behavioral switch from using human agents to using AI-based conversational agents. Data collected from 441 users of banking services were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that both push effects—namely, low empathy and low adaptability—and pull effects, including anytime/anywhere connectivity, association, visibility, and personalization, have positive influences on switching behavior. Finally, in addition to having a direct influence on switching behavior, frequency of service use positively moderated the relationship between pull effects and switching behavior.

Warmer Individuals Get More Help: The Influence of Stereotypes and Empathy on Moral Decision-Making.

The processing of moral decision-making is influenced by both cognitive and emotional systems, making it worth exploring exactly how each plays a role in the process of individual moral decision-making. In this study, 160 participants with either high or low empathy traits (80 each, as determined by the Interpersonal Response Index Inventory) completed a moral decision-making task regarding whether to help others (stereotyped as high warmth-high competence, high warmth-low competence, low warmth-high competence, low warmth-low competence) at the expense of themselves. The intent was to explore the influence of stereotypes and empathy traits on moral decision-making. The results showed that: (1) participants were more willing to help individuals with high warmth than those with high competence, showing a clear "primacy of warmth effect"; (2) this effect was weakened in participants with high empathy traits in comparison to those with low empathy traits, as their willingness to help individuals with low warmth was significantly higher than that of participants with low empathy traits. The results suggest that stereotypes about warmth and competence moderate altruistic tendencies in moral decision-making and that this moderation is more pronounced in individuals with low empathy traits than in those with high empathy traits.

The Effects of Parental Nurturance, Harsh Discipline, and Inter-Parental Conflict on Empathy Development in Early Adolescence

Parents play an important role in adolescents’ development of empathy. However, less understood is what dimensions of parental behavior predict changes in empathy during early adolescence and whether effects of parental behavior are moderated by pubertal timing or differ by sex. This study used data from an ethnically diverse sample of 704 youth who reported on their parents’ nurturance, harsh discipline, and inter-parental conflict at age 11; on their own empathy at ages 11 and 13; and on their pubertal timing at age 13. The results showed that only parental nurturance uniquely predicted more empathy at age 13 and that this effect was stronger in females. Harsh discipline and inter-parental conflict were only concurrently associated with lower empathy at age 11. Pubertal timing did not moderate the links between parental nurturance, harsh discipline, or inter-parental conflict at age 11 and empathy at age 13.

“It is all her fault”: psychosocial correlates of the negative attitudes towards rape victims among the general population of Pakistan

BackgroundRape myths are marked for being false beliefs about sexual assault. With the problem being quite prevalent around the world, research has shown that numerous factors such as rape proclivity and perpetuation of rape myths are critical. The present study assesses the role of rape myths acceptance, rape victim empathy, and causal attributions towards rape victims as significantly predicting attitudes towards rape victims among the general population of Pakistan. Rape myths acceptance and causal attributions would significantly and positively predict negative attitudes towards rape victims.MethodA cross-sectional research design was used for the study. The online survey questionnaire was filled by 573 participants including 275 males and 298 females who were selected through purposive sampling from the general population of Pakistan. The sample size was estimated using G*Power analysis with 95% confidence intervals. Data collection was done using Illinois rape myths, attitudes towards rape victim’s scale, rape victim empathy, and causal attributions scale were used. Data analysis was done using Pearson product-moment correlation, hierarchical regression, MANOVA, and mediation analysis via AMOS, all of which were executed using SPSS 21.0.ResultsThe findings showed that higher levels of rape myths acceptance, low empathy towards rape victims, and victim blaming are significantly associated with negative attitudes towards rape victims. There were no gender differences among the participants. However, rape victim empathy significantly mediated the association between rape myths acceptance and rape victim empathy. It was also found that rape myths acceptance, rape victim empathy, and causal attributions significantly predicted attitudes towards rape victims. Another core finding was that there were no gender differences among participants with regard to rape myths acceptance, rape victim empathy, causal attributions, and attitudes towards rape victims.ConclusionsTherefore, the findings contribute towards a better understanding of the rape myths in the general population of Pakistan and how the prevalence of such myths may contribute towards social, cultural, and legal problems of rape myths. The study also provides policy implications for a region where rape victims experience higher levels of blame and limited legal backing and support.

ANALYSIS OF THE EMPATHIC ABILITIES OF STUDENTS IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITALIZATION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROCESS

Relevance. In modern society, digitalization affects all areas of society, including education and becomes the basis for the development of society itself and social relations. The purpose of the study is to study the features of students’ empathic abilities in the context of digitalization of the educational process. Material and research methods. The study involved st year students of the Medical Institute of the “Mordovian state University named after N. Р. Ogarev” direction “General Medicine”. A total of  people were examined. The average age is  years. Diagnostics of empathy was carried out with the method of diagnosing the level of empathic abilities by V. V. Boyko. Results. A very high level of empathy was found only in % of the surveyed, % of students have an average level of empathy, most of the surveyed (%) have an underestimated level of empathy, a very low level of empathy was found in % of the surveyed. % of the respondents have attitudes that promote or hinder empathy, the rational channel of empathy prevails in % of the respondents, identifi cation in empathy is found in % of the respondents, the intuitive channel of empathy characterizes % of the respondents, the penetrating channel of empathy is manifested by % of the respondents, the ability to empathize is found in % of respondents, the emotional channel of empathy is observed in % of respondents. Conclusion. It should be noted that technologies have both positive and negative effects on the development of empathy. While they can bring people together, strengthen a sense of community, and help share experiences, they can also lead to a reduction in face-to-face interaction, a lack of attention to non-verbal cues and emotional displays. To develop empathy, it is important to fi nd a balance between technology and real communication and prioritize face-toface communication and connection with other people.

POL, PERCIPIRANI VASPITNI STAVOVI RODITELJA, EMPATIJA I LOKUS KONTROLE KAO PREDIKTORI SOCIJALNE ANKSIOZNOSTI KOD STUDENATA

The aim of this research was to examine the predictive power of gender, the dimensions of perceived parental rearing attitudes, empathy and locus of control in predicting social anxiety among students. The sample consisted of 297 students (71.7% female), aged 19 to 36 years (M = 22.29, SD = 2.46). Parental Rearing attitudes were operationalized through the score on the Parental Rearing Style Scale (dimensions: warm, cold, permissive and restrictive upbringing of the father and mother). Empathy was operationalized through the score on the Empathy Quotient, locus of control was operationalized using the Externality Scale, while social anxiety was measured using the Social Anxiety Scale. The results of the hierarchical regression analysis, in which the first model consisted of the gender variable, showed that this model as a whole is statistically significant (R2 = .021, F(1,295) = 6.290, p = .013). In the second step, the dimensions of parents’ educational attitudes were included and the results showed that their contribution in predicting social anxiety is statistically significant, as well as that the model as a whole is statistically significant (R2 = .106, F(7,289) = 4.881, p = .000). Gender was singled out as a statistically significant predictor within this model (β = .145, p = .011). In the third step, Empathy is included and the contribution of this variable in predicting social anxiety is statistically significant, as is the model as a whole (R2 = .150, F(8,288) = 6.363, p = .000). Statistically significant predictors within this model are gender (β = .158, p = .004) and Empathy (β = -.212, p = .000). Within the fourth model, Locus of control is included and the contribution of this variable in predicting social anxiety is not statistically significant, but the model as a whole is statistically significant (R2 = .159, F(9,287) = 6.017, p = .000) and gender (β = .146, p = .009) and Empathy (β = -.195, p = .001) stand out as statistically significant predictors. Conducted analyses show that female persons with lower empathy are more prone to social anxiety. The results are discussed in light of the available empirical evidence. Keywords: gender, parental rearing attitudes, empathy, locus of control, social anxiety, students

Disability, program access, empathy and burnout in US medical students: A national study.

The objective of this study is to investigate whether self-disclosed disability and self-reported program access are associated with measures of empathy and burnout in a national sample of US medical students. The authors obtained data from students who responded to the Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Year 2 Questionnaire (Y2Q) in 2019 and 2020. Data included demographic characteristics, personal variables, learning environment indicators, measures of burnout (Oldenburg Burnout Inventory for Medical Students), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and disability-related questions, including self-reported disability, disability category and program access. Associations between disability status, program access, empathy and burnout were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models accounting for YQ2 demographic, personal-related and learning environment measures. Overall, 23 898 (54.2%) provided disability data and were included. Of those, 2438 (10.2%) self-reported a disability. Most medical students with disabilities (SWD) self-reported having program access through accommodations (1215 [49.8%]) or that accommodations were not required for access (824 [33.8%]). Multivariable models identified that compared with students without disabilities, SWD with and without program access presented higher odds of high exhaustion (1.50 [95% CI, 1.34-1.69] and 2.59 [95% CI, 1.93-3.49], respectively) and lower odds of low empathy (0.75 [95% CI, 0.67-.85] and 0.68 [95% CI, 0.52-0.90], respectively). In contrast, multivariable models for disengagement identified that SWD reporting lack of program access presented higher odds of high disengagement compared to students without disabilities (1.43 [95% CI, 1.09-1.87], whereas SWD with program access did not (1.09 [95% CI, 0.97-1.22]). Despite higher odds of high exhaustion, SWD were less likely to present low empathy regardless of program access, and SWD with program access did not differ from students without disabilities in terms of disengagement. These findings add to our understanding of the characteristics and experiences of SWD including their contributions as empathic future physicians.

The Relationship between Managers' Narcissism and Investment in Research and Development

Narcissism refers to a personality that has high self-esteem, need for attention, sense of personal superiority, low social empathy, and a greater desire to use other people's skills. The present research aims to relate managers' narcissism with investment in research and development based on the moderating role of corporate social responsibility performance. In terms of purpose, the research is an applied and correlational type of research. In this regard, 132 companies were selected as sample member companies that were active in the Lisbon Stock Exchange during 2019-2020. The research data was collected from the real financial statements of the companies through the Codal website and compiled using Excel software. The method of hypothesis testing is multivariate regression using Eviews 12 statistical software. The findings show that managers' narcissism has no significant relationship with investment in research and development. The performance of corporate social responsibility has a statistically significant relationship with investment in research and development, and the performance of corporate social responsibility does not have a moderating role on the relationship between managers' narcissism and investment in research and development. The results of this research add to the development of literature related to managers' narcissism and investment in research and development. This research shows evidence that narcissism is not an influential characteristic for investment in research and development, unlike other studies that consider narcissism as a negative characteristic for investment in research and development because the desire to be praised by shareholders makes managers less likely to research and develop.

The Nature and Nurture of Callous-Unemotional Traits

Callous-unemotional (CU) traits, a risk factor for psychopathy, delineate youths with relatively low empathy and guilt, and identify youths with high risk for chronic and severe antisocial behavior (e.g., rule breaking, aggression). We describe work identifying nature and nurture influences on the development of CU traits. Additionally, we clarify the relationship between CU traits and psychopathy, highlight potential misinterpretations of findings on influences of “nature” versus “nurture,” and discuss treatment implications.

Fatigue, Pro-Social Attitude and Quality of Life as Predictors of Empathy in Medical and Social-Oriented Students

Empathy is significant in professions that require establishing proper contact as a condition for providing help. Identifying factors related to empathy is important for understanding how to teach empathic behavior. The main goal of this study was to find variables related to empathy in a group of students from two universities: medical and social oriented (N = 1701). The study group consisted of female (81%) and male (19%) participants, aged between 18-20 (37%), 21-23 (49%), or 24 years and above (14%). A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographical information, with additional questions (social self-esteem, prosocial attitude, subjective quality of life). Empathy was measured with the EQ-40, fatigue with CHFQ-PL, and stress with PSS-10. The results showed a statistically significant regression model for empathy. A high quality of life and having feelings of pleasure when helping other people allows to predict a high level of empathy, especially among females. Higher levels of fatigue and social self-esteem, the latter of which is measured here by the belief that you are more important than others, predicts lower empathy. There were no differences between students from two different kinds of universities when taking into consideration stress levels, subjective quality of life, and prosocial attitude. However, students from the medical university were more exhausted and more convinced that their value was greater than others, as compared to the students studying social sciences. When teaching empathic behavior, it is beneficial to attempt to maintain or restore students' well-being and reduce fatigue and to teach how to achieve such effects in the future. Learning the balance between compassion, willingness to help, and self-compassion also seems to be important.

Association Between Physician Empathy and Difficult Patient Encounters: a Cross-Sectional Study.

Physicians frequently experience patients as difficult. Our study explores whether more empathetic physicians experience fewer patient encounters as difficult. To investigate the association between physician empathy and difficult patient encounters (DPEs). Cross-sectional study. Participants were 18 generalist physicians with 3-8 years of experience. The investigation was conducted from August-September 2018 and April-May 2019 at six healthcare facilities. Based on the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) scores, we classified physicians into low and high empathy groups. The physicians completed the Difficult Doctor-Patient Relationship Questionnaire-10 (DDPRQ-10) after each patient visit. Scores ≥ 31 on the DDPRQ-10 indicated DPEs. We implemented multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression models to examine the association between physicians' empathy and DPE, adjusting for patient-level covariates (age, sex, history of mental disorders) and with physician-level clustering. The median JSE score was 114 (range: 96-126), and physicians with JSE scores 96-113 and 114-126 were assigned to low and high empathy groups, respectively (n = 8 and 10 each); 240 and 344 patients were examined by physicians in the low and high empathy groups, respectively. Among low empathy physicians, 23% of encounters were considered difficulty, compared to 11% among high empathy groups (OR: 0.37; 95% CI = 0.19-0.72, p = 0.004). JSE scores and DDPRQ-10 scores were negatively correlated (r = -0.22, p < 0.01). Empathetic physicians were less likely to experience encounters as difficult. Empathy appears to be an important component of physician perception of encounter difficulty.

“Parents are gone”: Understanding the unique and interactive impacts of affective and cognitive empathy on left-behind youth’s academic engagement

Although several studies have shown that left-behind adolescents are vulnerable regarding emotional and behavioral functions, much less research has focused on this group’s academic engagement. The relationship between distinct empathy subcomponents and academic engagement in left-behind youth (versus non-left-behind youth) is therefore largely unknown. To fill these knowledge gaps, the current study compared the academic engagement between left-behind and non-left-behind youth. This study subsequently examined the unique and interactive relationships among affective empathy, cognitive empathy, and left-behind status with academic engagement in a combined sample of left-behind and non-left-behind youth. In total, 323 left-behind youth and 737 non-left-behind youth (Mage = 13.05; 49.5% females) participated in this study. Findings, after adjusting for participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, revealed that left-behind youth did not differ significantly in academic engagement compared to non-left-behind youth. A four-step hierarchical regression analysis showed that both empathy components were positively related to academic engagement. Interaction analyses further exhibited a cross-over effect of affective and cognitive empathy for left-behind youth. Specifically, left-behind youth with high cognitive empathy seemed more susceptible to the influence of affective empathy on academic engagement, for better and for worse. In the presence of high affective empathy, left-behind youth with higher cognitive empathy reported the highest academic engagement, whereas the youth with higher cognitive empathy, in the presence of low affective empathy, reported the lowest. The current study highlights the unique and interactive roles of affective and cognitive empathy in left-behind youth’s academic engagement, including important conceptual and practical implications.