Questionnaire Of Cognitive And Affective Empathy Research Articles

Exploring neuropsychological underpinnings of poor communication after traumatic brain injury: The role of apathy, disinhibition and social cognition.

Dysarthria, aphasia and executive processes have been examined for their role in producing impaired communicative competence post traumatic brain injury (TBI). Less understood is the role of emotional dysregulation, that is, apathy and disinhibition, and social cognition, that is, reading and interpreting social cues. In this study, we examined 49 adults with moderate to severe TBI and 18 neurologically healthy adults. We hypothesised that apathy and disinhibition would predict communication outcomes as would social cognition. We also predicted that apathy and disinhibition would influence social cognition. Communication outcomes were measured by the La Trobe Communication Questionnaire (LCQ) and the Social Skills Questionnaire-TBI (SSQ-TBI). Apathy and disinhibition were measured by the Frontal Systems Behavior Scale (FrSBe). We measured four aspects of social cognition: emotion perception and theory of mind using The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT) and the Complex Audio-Visual Evaluation of Affect Test (CAVEAT), empathy using the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES), and alexithymia using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and the Bermond-Vorst Alexithymia Questionnaire. Consistent with predictions, the LCQ and SSQ-TBI were associated with disinhibition and the LCQ was also associated with apathy. The LCQ was associated with the full range of social cognition constructs although the SSQ-TBI was not. Finally, apathy and disinhibition predicted a number of social cognition measures. These results are discussed in relation to understanding the nature of communication disorders following TBI and how they are measured, as well as the interrelation between emotion dysregulation and social cognition. What is already known on this subject The role of emotional dysregulation and social cognition in producing impaired communicative competence post traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not well understood. Although most adults with severe TBI have minimal or possibly no language impairment, they often struggle with functional communication in everyday situations. Many have been reported to be overtalkative, insensitive, childish and self-centred, displaying an inappropriate level of self-disclosure and making tangential and irrelevant comments. Conversely, some speakers with TBI have been noted to have impoverished communication, producing little language either spontaneously or in response to the speaker's questions and prompts. What this paper adds to existing knowledge We found that both apathy and disinhibition were strongly associated with the Latrobe Communication Questionnaire both empirically and conceptually, despite the LCQ being developed from a different, pragmatic orientation. Disinhibition was also associated with the Social Skills Questionnaire for TBI. We also found that poor social cognition scores predicted communication difficulties. Finally, we found that behavioural dysregulation itself, i.e., both apathy and disinhibition, predicted poor social cognition. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Our findings highlight the central role that apathy and disinhibition play in both communication and social cognition. These insights point to the importance of remediation to target behavioural and autonomic dysregulation as a means to improve everyday social function.

Altered empathy correlates with reduced social and non-social reward anticipation in individuals with high social anhedonia.

This study examined the correlations of affective and cognitive components of empathy with reward anticipation toward monetary and social incentives in individuals with social anhedonia (SocAnh). According to the scores on the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale, 109 participants were divided into high (n= 57) and low (n= 52) SocAnh groups. Empathy was assessed with the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) Scale. Social and non-social reward anticipations were assessed by the Social and Monetary Incentive Delay Tasks, respectively. We performed independent-sample t tests and repeated-measures ANOVAs to examine the group differences on empathy and reward anticipation. Correlation analyses between empathy and reward anticipation were conducted. Results showed that the high SocAnh group reported reduced scores on empathy and reward anticipation for monetary and social incentives compared to their low SocAnh counterparts. Correlation analysis further indicated that monetary reward anticipation correlated with cognitive empathy, while social reward anticipation correlated with affective empathy. Our findings suggested that participants with high SocAnh exhibited poorer empathy and reduced reward anticipation than those with low SocAnh level. More importantly, social and non-social reward anticipation may distinctly contribute to affective and cognitive components of empathy.

Do people with bipolar disorder have a lack of empathy?

IntroductionImpairments of empathy have been observed in patients with various psychiatric Disorders. Yet, little research on empathy concerning mood disorders exists.ObjectivesTo compare empathy levels in euthymic bipolar patients (BP) and healthy controls (HC).MethodsA cross-sectional and comparative study of 78 patients followed for bipolar disorder, during euthymia, at the psychiatric outpatient clinic at CHU Hédi Chaker in Sfax, and 78 age-gender matched HC. We used a socio-demographic and clinical data sheet and the Questionnaire of Cognitive And Affective Empathy (QCAE) to assess empathy with its two dimensions : “Affective empathy” and “Cognitive empathy”.ResultsThe average age was 36.27 years, the sex ratio was 5.5. Bipolar I disorder was diagnosed in 88.5% of patients. The mean age of onset was 27.73 years, and the mean duration of illness was 8.4 years. Total scores of empathy as well as scores of cognitive and affective empathy were higher in HC than in BP. *Total QCAE BP vs HC : 72.49 vs 80.53 *Cognitive empathy BP vs HC : 43.21 vs 94.24 *Affective empathy BP vs HC : 29.36 vs 30.44 A significant difference in QCAE score and cognitive empathy score between BP and HC was found (p<10-3).ConclusionsIn our study, euthymic BP have been less empathetic than HC. Research on the subject are small and few. Thus, more studies are needed to confirm our results on the effect of mood disorders on empathy.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Evaluation of empathy among euthymic bipolar patients

IntroductionBipolar disorder (BD) is a mental illness marked by extreme swings in the mood, energy, and thinking. Although it’s not an official symptom of the disease, some research suggests that it also may affect the empathy.ObjectivesTo investigate empathic responding in patients with BD in euthymic state of illness and to determine associated factors.MethodsA cross-sectional and descriptive study of 78 patients followed for bipolar disorder, during euthymia, at the psychiatric outpatient clinic at CHU Hédi Chaker in Sfax. We used a socio-demographic and clinical data sheet and the Questionnaire of Cognitive And Affective Empathy (QCAE) to assess empathy with its two dimensions : “Affective empathy” and “Cognitive empathy”.ResultsThe average age was 36.27 years, the sex ratio was 5.5. Bipolar I disorder was diagnosed in 88.5% of patients. The mean age of onset was 27.73 years, and the mean duration of illness was 8.4 years. 78.2% of patients had a good adherence to treatment. 60.3% of them had residual depressive symptoms during eutymia. QCAE total score was 72.49. (Maximum possible score 124) Cognitive empathy score was 43.21. (Maximum possible score 76) Affective empathy score was 29.36. (Maximum possible score 48) Affective empathy was associated with female gender (p=0), good adherence to treatment (p=0.01) and residual depressive symptoms (p=0.001).ConclusionsOur study shows that bipolar patients have fairly good levels of empathy. However, in order to better substantiate empathy in BD, comparative studies seem necessary.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The Structural Relationships among Maternal Reflective Function, Preschoolers' Empathy, Executive Functions, and Caring Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among mothers’ reflective function, preschoolers’ empathy, executive function, caring behaviors. Subjects for this study were 498 preschoolers and their mothers. Mothers’ reflective function was assessed by the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire(PRFQ). Preschoolers’ empathy was assessed by the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy(QCAE). Preschoolers’ executive function was assessed by the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Functions-Preschool Version(BRIEF-P), and caring behaviors were assessed by the caring behaviors scale(Kim, 2015). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis(CFA), and structural equation model(SEM) with the SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 program.</br>The major results of this study were as follows. First, mothers’ reflective function showed direct effects on preschoolers’ empathy, executive function, and caring behaviors. Second, the preschoolers’ empathy and executive function showed direct effects on preschoolers’ caring behaviors. Third, preschoolers’ empathy mediated the effects of mothers’ reflective function on preschoolers’ caring behaviors. The findings of this study will contribute to designing intervention programs to improve preschoolers’ empathy, executive function, and caring behaviors.

The influence of role awareness, empathy induction and trait empathy on dictator game giving.

We ask how state empathy, trait empathy, and role awareness influence dictator game giving in a monetarily incentivized experiment. We manipulated two factors: role awareness (role certainty vs. role uncertainty) and state empathy induction (no empathy induction vs. empathy induction). Under role uncertainty, participants did not know their role as a dictator or a recipient when making their choices. State empathy was induced by asking the dictators to consider what the recipient would feel when learning about the decision. Each participant was randomly assigned into one of the four conditions, and in each condition, participants were randomly assigned into dictator and receiver roles. The role assignment took place before or after decisions were made, depending on the condition. We also studied the direct influence of trait empathy on dictator game giving as well as its interaction with the experimental manipulations. Trait empathy was measured by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) before the experiment. Of our experimental manipulations, role awareness had an effect on dictator game giving; participants donated more under role uncertainty than under role certainty. Instead, we did not observe an effect of state empathy induction. Of trait empathy subscales, only affective empathy was positively associated with dictator game giving. Finally, role awareness did not influence all participants similarly but had a larger impact on those with low scores on trait empathic concern or trait affective empathy. Our results indicate that specific measures to induce altruistic sharing can be effective but their effect may vary depending on certain personal characteristics.

Associations among autistic traits, cognitive and affective empathy, and personality traits in adults with autism spectrum disorder and no intellectual disability

Reported empathy deficits in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) could be attributable to other ASD-related features. We evaluated 28 ASD adults with no intellectual disability and 24 age-matched non-ASD control subjects using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO). Compared to the controls, ASD participants showed lower scores for perspective taking, online simulation, cognitive empathy, and peripheral responsivity on the QCAE, and lower scores for perspective taking and empathic concern on the IRI. Within the ASD group, the AQ scores showed significant relationships with perspective taking, online simulation and cognitive empathy on the QCAE, and perspective taking on the IRI. The ASD group also showed higher scores for neuroticism and lower scores for extraversion on the NEO compared to the controls. However, there were no relationships between AQ scores and NEO factors within the ASD group. Multiple regression analysis with stepwise linear regression demonstrated that perspective taking score on the QCAE and extraversion score on the NEO were good predictor variables to autistic traits on the AQ. These findings help us to understand empathy and personality traits in ASD adults with no intellectual disability.

Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modeling of the factor structure of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE).

The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a multiple dimensional measure of cognitive empathy [comprising primary factors for perspective taking (PT), online simulation (OS)], and affective empathy [comprising primary factors for emotion contagion (EC), proximal responsivity (PRO), and peripheral responsivity (PER)]. This study used independent clusters confirmatory factor analysis (ICM-CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the scale's factor structure. A general community sample of 203 (men = 43, women = 160) between 17 and 63 years completed the QCAE. Although both the five-factor oblique and second order factor models showed good model fit, and clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, in the second-order factor model, none of the primary factors loaded significantly on their respective secondary factors, thereby favoring the five-factor oblique model. The factors in this model were supported in terms of external validity. Despite this, the factor for PRO in this model showed low reliability for meaning interpretation. A revised four-factor oblique model without the PRO factor showed good fit, clarity in the pattern of factor loadings, and reliability and validity for the factors in this model, thereby suggesting this to be the best model to represent ratings on the QCAE.

Empathy and Its Relationship With Social Functioning in Individuals at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis.

Introduction: Social functioning is often impaired in the ultra-high-risk (UHR) phase of psychosis. There is some evidence that empathy is also impaired in this phase and that these impairments may underlie difficulties in social functioning. The main aim of this study was to investigate whether cognitive and affective empathy are lower in people in the UHR phase of psychosis in comparison to healthy controls, and whether possible impairments have the same magnitude as in people with schizophrenia. A second aim was to examine whether there is a relationship between empathy and social functioning in individuals in the UHR phase.Method: Forty-three individuals at UHR for psychosis, 92 people with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder, and 49 persons without a psychiatric disorder completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), and Faux Pas as instruments to measure empathy. The Time Use survey was used to measure social functioning. MAN(C)OVA was used to analyse differences between groups on empathy and social functioning, and correlations were calculated between empathy measures and social functioning for each group.Results: The UHR group presented significantly lower levels of self-reported cognitive empathy than the healthy controls, but not compared to patients with SSD, while performance-based cognitive empathy was unimpaired in the UHR group. On the affective measures, we found that people with UHR and patients with SSD had significantly higher levels of self-reported distress in interpersonal settings compared to healthy controls. In the UHR group, perspective-taking was negatively associated with time spent on structured social activities. In the SSD group, we found that structured social activities were positively associated with perspective-taking and negatively associated with personal distress in interactions with others. Lastly, in people without mental illness, social activities were positively associated with performance-based perspective-taking.Conclusion: Impairments in subjective cognitive empathy appear to be present in the UHR phase, suggesting that difficulties in interpreting the thoughts and feelings of others precede the onset of psychotic disorders. This can inform future interventions in the UHR phase.

Outcome prediction with a social cognitive battery: a multicenter longitudinal study

The interest in social cognition in schizophrenia is justified by the relationship between deficits in these skills and negative functional outcomes. Although assessment batteries have already been described, there is no consensus about which measures are useful in predicting patient functioning or quality of life (QoL). We investigated a set of five measures of recognition of facial emotions, theory of mind (ToM), and empathy in a cohort of 143 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder at inclusion and, amongst whom 79 were reassessed 1 year later. The distribution was satisfactory for the TREF (Facial Emotion Recognition Task), V-SIR (Versailles-Situational Intention Reading), and QCAE (Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy). Internal consistency was satisfactory for the TREF, V-SIR, V-Comics (Versailles Intention Attribution Task), and QCAE. Sensitivity to change was acceptable for the TREF. The TREF and V-SIR showed a cross-sectional relationship with functioning beyond the clinical symptoms of schizophrenia but not beyond neurocognition. Moreover, the TREF and V-SIR at inclusion could not predict functioning one year later, whereas most neurocognitive and clinical dimensions at inclusion could. Finally, only affective QCAE showed a significant cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, association with QoL. In conclusion, the TREF had satisfactory psychometric properties and showed a cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, association with objective outcome measures, thus appearing to be reliable in clinical practice and research. The V-SIR also showed promising psychometric properties, despite a possible weakness to detect change. However, these measures should be interpreted within the context of the good predictive power of the neurocognitive and clinical status on the outcome.

The relationship between risk, the dark triad traits, and empathy

IntroductionEmpathy is generally viewed as a “positive” trait, while the Dark Triad traits are regarded as a “negative” side of a Dark personality. The perception of Risk is less univocal, as it plays a role in both courage and questionable behavior.ObjectivesWe posed the following research questions: 1. Is risk linked to empathy and the Dark Triad traits? 2. Which traits help distinguish between participants with contrasting latent profiles (determined cumulatively for the specified personality variables)?MethodsParticipants (n=250) completed three questionnaires: the Dirty Dozen, Personality Factors of Decision-making and the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE). Correlation and Latent profile analysis (LPA) were performed.ResultsRisk was linked to Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and decentration (positively) and to emotion contagion and affective empathy (negatively). Rationality was positively correlated with cognitive empathy. Machiavellianism correlated negatively with rationality and online simulation (a cognitive empathy subscale). Empathy subscales were linked to psychopathy (negatively) and to narcissism (positively). LPA established two latent profiles: the smallest BIC value was obtained for the model with two profiles (log-likelihood: -3204.013, df=77, BIC=-6833; VEE). Analysis of means revealed that Class 1 was characterized by significantly higher Dark Triad values and higher Risk, whereas Class 2 was characterized by lower Dark Triad traits, lower Risk, and higher Rationality (see Figure 1).Figure 1. Latent profile analysisConclusionsThe Dark Triad traits and Risk are the more discriminative variables, while Empathy subscales do not help distinguish between the two classes of participants. The study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project 19-29-07069.

The role of empathy in the relationship between childhood trauma and borderline personality tendencies in male offenders

ABSTRACT Childhood trauma and empathy deficits have been found to be related to borderline personality disorder (BPD), but the mechanisms of action remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of empathy in male offenders with BPD tendencies and to test its mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and BPD tendencies. Two hundred and fifty-seven male offenders and 43 male nonoffender controls completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short From (CTQ-SF), the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) and the Chinese version of the computerized Yoni Task. ANOVA, Mixed-model ANOVAs and the PROCESS macro were used to analyze the inventory data and task performances. Compared to male offenders without BPD tendencies and nonoffender controls, offenders with BPD tendencies showed more severe childhood abuse, lower cognitive empathy and poorer task performances in second-order cognitive and second-order affective theory of mind. Furthermore, cognitive empathy was found to play a mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and BPD tendencies. Our findings indicate the effects of childhood trauma and empathy impairments on BPD and suggest the possible application value of the precision empathy ability training in the intervention of offenders with BPD.

Association between self-reported empathy and level of physical activity in healthy young adults

Empathy, which consists of cognitive and affective empathy, is one of the vital skills in humans for creating and maintaining relationships with others, now, there are many empathy-deficient people, possibly deriving from an increase in harassment-related issues. Although there is a possibility that physical activity improves empathy, the association of physical activity with cognitive and affective empathy in healthy humans remains unclear. Thus, the present study aims to clarify the relationship between levels of physical activity and self-reported empathy. Eight hundred and ninety-three responses for two questionnaires, the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (SV-IPAQ) and Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), were analyzed. Levels of physical activity in a usual week were measured based on the SV-IPAQ, and participants were divided into three groups: low, moderate and high physical activity. The scores for cognitive and affective empathy were measured based on QCAE. We found that people with a moderate or high physical activity level show significantly higher self-reported cognitive empathy compared to people with a low physical activity level. The score for self-reported affective empathy wasn’t affected by physical activity level. Physical activity level in a usual week showed a significant positive correlation with self-reported cognitive empathy scores, but not with self-reported affective empathy scores. Our findings imply that an increase in physical activity contributes to better cognitive empathy in healthy young adults.

Psychometric Properties of Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE): Reliability and Factor Analysis Study in Turkish Sample.

Introduction:The Questionnaire Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) scale is a tool that is widely used because of its multi-dimensional assessment of ability for empathy and is currently available in many languages. The aim of the current study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of QCAE, which evaluates cognitive and emotional empathy with its multi-dimensional structure, and to bring it into the Turkish.Methods:The study was carried out in a Turkish population of 412 healthy volunteers. Internal consistency, confirmatory factor analyses and gender comparisons of the Turkish version of the scale were performed.Results:The Turkish version of QCAE had good construct validity and reliability for the five-correlated factors model (i. e., Emotion Contagion, Proximal Responsivity, Peripheral Responsivity, Perspective Taking and Online Simulation). Temporal reliability was high with a two week test-retest intra-correlation coefficient range of 0.69–0.79. A total of 3 models were tested with confirmatory factor analyses, including the models of the original investigation. Cognitive-Affective distinction was not supported by the pattern of correlations between the factors.Conclusion:Our results support that it is appropriate to compute and interpret the 5 sub-dimensions of the Turkish version of QCAE separately and totally, but the limitations in its use in the Cognitive Empathy and Affective Empathy sub-dimensions should be heeded.

Latent profiles of personality traits related to decision making about social distancing (in Russia and Azerbaijan)

In a previous study, we showed that personality traits related to self-regulation such as risk readiness and subjective rationality, as well as the Dark Triad traits (psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) predicted decisions about social distancing in different ways in Russian and Azerbaijani samples, whereas cognitive empathy was a shared positive predictor. Using a battery of assessments, we investigated the presence of latent profiles of personality traits in these two samples. We expected this analysis to shed further light onto the interplay between cultural factors and individual differences in decision making. Two samples consisting of individually matched (by age and sex) participants from Russia and Azerbaijan, N = 299 each, participated in the study. We utilized the following questionnaires: Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), Personality Factors of Decision Making (LFR), Dirty Dozen. Latent profile analysis was performed separately for Russian and Azerbaijan samples in the VarSelLCM package for R. The results revealed two near-identical latent profiles in both samples. The two latent profiles differed primarily on the Dark Triad traits. Empathy did not act as a universal discriminating variable. Cultural specificity was found not for class composition but rather the discriminating power of individual variables.

How to become more grateful? The mediating role of resilience between empathy and gratitude

The current study examined the relationship between empathy, resilience, and gratitude. Specifically, the study investigated the potential mediating role of resilience between empathy and gratitude. The study involved 214 participants who completed the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test-Revised (GRAT-R), the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), and the Resilience Measurement Scale (SPP-25). The results showed significant positive correlations among resilience, empathy, and gratitude. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that resilience, gender, and affective empathy were direct predictors of the level of gratitude. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis supported the hypothesis that resilience played a mediating role between empathy and gratitude. Implications for research and the promotion of positive psychology programs for adults are discussed.

Validation of the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in patients with schizophrenia, major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder

ABSTRACT Introduction Alteration of empathy is common in patients with psychiatric disorders. Reliable and valid assessment tools for measuring empathy of clinical samples is needed. The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a newly-developed instrument to capture cognitive and affective components of empathy. This study aimed to validate the QCAE and compared self-reported empathy between clinical groups with varied psychiatric diagnoses and healthy sample. Methods The present study performed factor analysis for the QCAE on clinical samples in the Chinese setting (n = 534), including patients with schizophrenia (n = 158), bipolar disorder (n = 213) and major depressive disorder (n = 163). Internal consistency, internal correlation and convergent validity was examined in the subsample (n = 361). Group comparison among patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and healthy controls (n = 107) was conducted to assess the discriminant validity. Results Our results indicated acceptable factor model, good reliability and validity of the QCAE. Impaired cognitive empathy was found in clinical samples, especially in patients with schizophrenia, while higher affective empathy was found in patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. Conclusion The QCAE is a useful tool in assessing empathy in patients with varied psychiatric diagnoses.

부모의 공감능력과 유아의 공감능력, 배려행동, 행복감 간의 구조적 관계

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in preschoolers’ cognitive and affective empathy based on socio-demographic variables and to explore the relationships among parents’ empathy, preschoolers’ empathy, caring behaviors, and happiness. Subjects for this study were 301 preschoolers and their parents. Parents’ e mpathy was assessed by the Korean Version of Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy(K-QCAE). Preschoolers’ empathy was assessed by the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy(QCAE). Preschoolers’ caring behaviors were assessed by the caring behaviors scale(Kim, 2015), and happiness was assessed by the happiness scale(Lee, 2010). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis(CFA), and structural equation model(SEM) with the SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 23.0 program. <BR> The major results of this study were as follows. First, fathers’ empathy showed direct effects on preschoolers’ cognitive and affective empathy and happiness. And mothers’ empathy showed direct effects on preschoolers’ cognitive and affective empathy. Second, preschoolers’ cognitive empathy showed direct effects on preschoolers’ caring behaviors. And preschoolers’ caring behaviors showed direct effects on preschoolers’ happiness. Third, preschoolers’ cognitive empathy mediated the effects of parents’ empathy on preschoolers’ caring behaviors. And preschoolers’ caring behaviors mediated the effects of preschoolers’ cognitive empathy on preschoolers’ happiness. The findings of this study will contribute to designing intervention programs to improve preschoolers’ cognitive and affective empathy.

Confirmation of a Two-Factor Solution to the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in a French Population of Patients With Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders.

The Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE) is a tool for self-assessing the cognitive and emotional components of empathy. A study showed that a two-factor model fits the data of patients with schizophrenia, whereas other reports on healthy subjects have suggested a five-factor decomposition. We aimed to replicate the model of Horan et al. in a French population with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (i.e., schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders) participating in the EVACO Study (NCT02901015). In total, 133 patients were assessed with the QCAE, the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), the Personal and Social Performance Scale (PSP), and the Self rating Quality of Life Scale (S-QoL). The two-factor model demonstrated an adequate fit with the data, comparable to that reported by Horan et al. Males scored higher on the Affective subscore than females. After correction for multiple tests, psychopathology (PANSS) and functioning (PSP) did not correlate significantly with the QCAE subscores. However, quality of life (S-QoL) correlated positively with the Emotional Contagion subscore. Thus, the variability of empathetic disposition in schizophrenia may be considered through the cognitive versus affective dichotomy and properly investigated with the QCAE. The results support further investigation of the relationship between QCAE scores and subjective outcome measurements, such as quality of life, and emphasize the importance of cross-cultural comparisons.

Medical students’ empathy positively predicts charitable donation behavior

ABSTRACT Empathy is known to motivate prosocial behavior. This relationship, however, is complex and influenced by the social context and the type of prosocial behavior. Additionally, empathy is a complex psychological capacity, making it important to examine how different components influence different prosocial behaviors. The current study uses a unique longitudinal sample to assess how changes in cognitive and affective components of empathy relate to charitable giving. Measures of empathy were collected from medical students in the fall and spring of students’ first three years of medical school. After this time, students had the opportunity to donate to charity. Positive changes in students’ cognitive empathy predicted their charitable giving, with students who demonstrated greater increases in cognitive empathy giving more money. This study points to an important role for cognitive empathy in generosity, and suggests that long-term changes in empathy influence individual differences in prosocial behavior. Abbreviations: Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE); Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy - Student Version (JSE); Variance Inflation Factor (VIF)