Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.21465/rp0024.0001

Development and empirical evaluation of a new empathy questionnaire for early adolescents

Una Mikac orcid.org/0000-0001-9369-6462 ; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Vesna Buško orcid.org/0000-0001-8644-0688 ; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Monika Ivanović orcid.org/0000-0001-7675-7366 ; Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia
Ana Babić Čikeš ; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Abstract

The paper presents the construction and initial validation data on a new instrument intended to measure empathy
in early adolescents. Research on adults mostly supports the hypothesis of a cognitive and an affective component of
empathy, but the structure of empathy in children is less clear. In designing this instrument, empathy was conceptualized
as rather stable disposition composed of the suggested cognitive and affective dimensions. The questionnaire
was administered on two samples of elementary school students (n1 = 202; n2 = 133). Average age in both samples
was 12 years, with boys and girls equally represented. The analyses, including EFA, CFA, and validity evidence
based on relationships with demographic data and some personality traits, suggest a general empathy factor and a
reverse coding method factor. The results are interpreted in light of existing theories and previous empirical findings
published on empathy measures, with a special emphasis on methodological issues encountered.

Keywords

empathy; dimensionality; early adolescents; CFA

Hrčak ID:

199918

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/199918

Publication date:

4.5.2018.

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