The Dark and Light Sides of Empathy

The Clinical Relevance of the Assessment of Cognitive and Affective Empathy Across Negative and Positive Emotions

Dados Bibliográficos

ID16946236
AutoresPaweł Larionow (0000-0002-4911-3984, Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, autor correspondente)
Ano2025
Volume15
Fascículo3
Páginas38
Data de publicação2025-03-18
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoEuropean Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 2174-8144 • E-ISSN: 2254-9625
EditoraMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/ejihpe15030038
PMID40136776
OpenAlexW4408551618
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas49

Is empathy a “double-edged sword”? This study aimed to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the multidimensional empathy construct in the statistical prediction of negative and positive mental health outcomes. More specifically, this research intended to reveal whether, what, and how four individual empathy dimensions (i.e., cognitive empathy for negative emotions, cognitive empathy for positive emotions, affective empathy for negative emotions, and affective empathy for positive emotions) uniquely statistically predicted the levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, as well as well-being. A total of 786 Polish-speaking adults (452 females and 334 males) filled out a series of self-report questionnaires on empathy (the Perth Empathy Scale), anxiety, and depression symptoms, as well as well-being. Adjusting for demographic variables, the frequentist and Bayesian multiple regression analyses revealed that affective empathy dimensions (i.e., abilities to vicariously share others’ emotions) significantly predicted psychopathology symptoms and well-being, whereas cognitive empathy dimensions (i.e., abilities to understand others’ emotions) did not. In particular, higher affective empathy for negative emotions contributed to worse mental health outcomes, whereas higher affective empathy for positive emotions contributed to better mental outcomes. Overall, the results indicated that individual empathy dimensions demonstrated their specific dark and light sides in the statistical prediction of mental illness and well-being indicators, further supporting the clinical relevance of the multidimensional empathy construct

Cognition · Cognitive psychology · Empathy · Negative emotion · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Emotional Intelligence and Performance · Empathy and Medical Education · Neuroscience · Psychology · Social Psychology

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