Altered empathy in daily life of individuals with high social anhedonia: an experience sampling study

Empathic deficits are important features of the schizophrenia spectrum, and can be found in both clinical and subclinical samples. Distinct from many previous research on laboratory-based empathy, this study applied the experience sampling method (ESM) to examine empathy in individuals with social anhedonia (SocAnh) and its associations with social pleasure and emotional states in daily life.

Individuals with high SocAnh (n = 46) and low SocAnh (n = 53) were identified using the Revised Social Anhedonia Scale (CSAS). Participants completed the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE), and ESM measures (10 surveys per day for 7 days), which captured their cognitive and affective empathy, emotional states, and social pleasure in daily life.

Compared to the counterparts with low SocAnh, participants with high SocAnh showed lower ESM-measured cognitive and affective empathy in daily life, but comparable cognitive empathy as measured by the QCAE. Social pleasure in daily life positively predicted cognitive and affective empathy in both groups. Moreover, positive emotional states predicted higher levels of cognitive and affective empathy in low SocAnh group, but only predicted better affective empathy in high SocAnh group.

Our findings revealed altered empathy in individuals with high SocAnh and its positive association with social pleasure and positive emotional states in daily life. People at risk of developing psychiatric disorders experienced changes in social empathy and emotions.