ERIC Number: EJ977753
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Jan
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0272-930X
EISSN: N/A
Attachment Security and Child's Empathy: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation
Panfile, Tia M.; Laible, Deborah J.
Merrill-Palmer Quarterly: Journal of Developmental Psychology, v58 n1 Article 1 p1-21 Jan 2012
The current study examined the influence of multiple factors on individual differences in empathy; namely, attachment, negative emotionality, and emotion regulation. A total of 63 mothers completed the Attachment Q-set and questionnaires about their children's empathy, negative emotionality, and emotion regulation when children were 3 years old. Prosocial behavior was observed during a baby-cry procedure. Results of path analyses indicated that a model with attachment predicting empathy through the mediation of emotion regulation was the best fit for the data. Specifically, more-secure children were rated higher in emotion regulation and, consequently, higher in empathy. Furthermore, the optimal model was used to test empathy as a predictor of observed prosocial behavior. Here, children higher in empathy were observed to behave more prosocially. Overall, the results support the notion that more-secure children are more empathic because they are better emotion regulators. (Contains 3 figures, 1 footnote and 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Prosocial Behavior, Empathy, Emotional Development, Individual Differences, Questionnaires, Attachment Behavior, Prediction, Children, Mothers, Influences, Cognitive Development
Wayne State University Press. The Leonard N. Simons Building, 4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309. Tel: 800-978-7323; Fax: 313-577-6131; Web site: http://wsupress.wayne.edu/journals/merrill/merrillj.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A