The relation between empathy and depressive symptoms in a Dutch population sample

Journal of Affective Disorders
Elise C BennikM Aan Het Rot

Abstract

Impairments in social functioning are common in individuals with (sub)clinical levels of depression. One possible underlying mechanism of this relationship is low empathy. The present study examined linear and non-linear associations between empathy and depressive symptoms, and whether these associations were moderated by gender. Using the Empathy Quotient scale, cognitive and affective empathy were assessed using a large convenience sample from the general Dutch population (N = 3076). Depressive symptoms were indexed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS-SR16). Low cognitive empathy was associated with more depressive symptoms. There was a weak positive relation between affective empathy and depressive symptoms, indexed by the QIDS rather than the DASS. Generalizing results to the general population remains difficult with a convenience sample. Self-reported data may be affected by social-desirability or sex-stereotypical reporting biases. Our results support a linear relationship between cognitive empathy and symptoms of depression. There was some evidence for non-linear associations and a moderating role of gender, but these patterns were not observed acr...Continue Reading

Citations

Apr 15, 2020·Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy·Vahid KhosravaniAli Amirinezhad
Apr 23, 2021·Australasian Journal on Ageing·Madson Alan Maximiano-BarretoMarcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas
May 20, 2021·Journal of Affective Disorders·Katherine O BraySarah Whittle
Jul 6, 2021·Clinical Gerontologist·Madson Alan Maximiano-BarretoMarcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas
Jan 5, 2022·Child Psychiatry and Human Development·Dan CuiYanfang Li

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