NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1393829
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jul
Pages: 41
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0743-5584
EISSN: EISSN-1552-6895
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Empathy Training on Empathy Skills, Life Satisfaction, and Relationship Quality for Chinese Adolescents and Their Mothers: A Mixed Methods Study
Chen-Bouck, Li; Patterson, Meagan M.; Qiao, Bixi; Peng, Anqi
Journal of Adolescent Research, v38 n4 p591-631 Jul 2023
Using a pre- and post-test design, this study examined the changes in empathy skills, life satisfaction, and relationship quality among mainland Chinese adolescents (ages 13-15 years) and their mothers (N = 108 dyads) following an empathy training intervention. Participants completed a 20-day empathy training, including two in-person group training sessions and daily journals on assigned topics. Participants' mother-child relationship quality, mother-child conflict, life satisfaction, and empathy skills were measured three times, and selected participants were interviewed to explore their experience of the training. The research procedure followed protocols that were approved by an Institutional Review Board. ANOVAs were used to examine quantitative data and inductive analysis was used for qualitative data. The findings suggest that after the training, both adolescents and mothers reported significant benefits in mother-child relationship quality and life satisfaction. However, participants' empathy skills (i.e., perspective taking and empathic concern skills) did not change. Possible mechanisms of the observed changes included the empathy skills (e.g., perspective taking skills) learned through the training and the reciprocal nature of positive changes within the mother-child dyad. The current study suggests that empathy training may benefit adolescents and their mothers, both within the relationship and in their general life satisfaction.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; Elementary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: China
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Interpersonal Reactivity Index
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A