The Basic Empathy Scale in adults (BES-A): factor structure of a revised form

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Neuroscience

Background:

• Empathy was initially viewed as a single ability, later evolving to a dual-component model (affective and cognitive).
• The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) was developed based on the dual-component conception for adolescents.
• Recent research suggests empathy involves three components: emotional contagion, emotional disconnection, and cognitive empathy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Basic Empathy Scale (BES) for use in adult populations.
• To compare different conceptualizations of empathy, specifically the dual-component versus the three-component models.
• To examine the relationship between empathy and other emotional processes in adults.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 370 French adults.
• 160 participants completed the BES along with scales for alexithymia and emotional consciousness.
• Confirmatory factor analyses were used to test empathy models.

Main Results:

• Confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor model of empathy as the best fit for the data.
• The validated BES in adults demonstrated relationships with other emotional process measures, consistent with prior research.
• Empathy is conceptualized as a process-dependent phenomenon.

Conclusions:

• The study validates the Basic Empathy Scale (BES) for adult use, supporting a three-component model of empathy.
• This three-component, process-dependent view aligns with current integrated perspectives on empathy.
• Findings suggest the BES can be utilized with either two or three factors when assessing empathy in adults.