J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2023 Nov;62(4):208-213. 10.4306/jknpa.2023.62.4.208.

Analysis of the Relationship Between Emotional Empathy and Psychopathology

• Lee SM
• Kim EK
• Choi JH

• KMID: 2548770
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2023.62.4.208

Abstract

Objectives
This study conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to explore the relationship between empathy and each symptom dimension in patients with psychopathology. Although there have been earlier studies on how empathy impacts mental health for ordinary people, this study is meaningful, as it is one of the first attempts to analyze the relationship between empathy and the major symptom dimensions of psychopathology in patients.
Methods
The survey was conducted on 110 patients, 85 males (77.3%) and 25 females (22.7%), who visited a university hospital in the Kyeonggi province. First, a descriptive and correlational analysis was conducted on the nine sub-variables of empathy and psychopathology, which are the main variables of this study. The demographic characteristics of the study participants were also examined. Subsequently, hierarchical regression analysis was performed, controlling for sex, age, and social desirability, to examine whether empathy affects the sub-factors of psychopathology. All data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0, and there were no missing values.
Results
The results were as follows: six variables (somatization, obsessive-compulsion, interpersonal sensitivity, hostility, paranoia, psychosis) showed a statistically significant negative relationship with empathy. That is, empathy played a protective role in these variables. On the other hand, depression did not have a statistically significant relationship with empathy, and anxiety and phobic anxiety were not associated with empathy.
Conclusion
There is a possibility that empathic ability can act as a protective factor for mental health. To promote community mental health, it is suggested that a health education program be developed that appropriately utilizes empathy.

Keyword

Empathy; Psychopathology; SCL-90-R; Toronto Empathy Questionnaire