Abstract

As empathy becomes a more debated topic within the literature, many authors have been exploring that variables may affect the human empathic experience. Recent research has provided a better understanding of how mental health disorder symptoms may impact empathic experience. This study examines correlations between the severity of mental health symptoms and an individual’s experiences with empathy. Forty nine individuals completed assessments determining current symptoms of mental health disorders (i.e., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychosis) and empathic concern for others. It was expected that participants scoring high on assessments of PTSD, depression, and negative symptoms of psychosis would experience lower levels of empathic feelings towards others. The Empathic Experience Scale (EES) was used to determine levels of empathy, using a two-factor model, where one dimension is the act of vicariously experiencing someone's feelings and the other is being able to intuitively understand what the other person is going through. Social desirability was accounted for through the addition of the Marlowe Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS). Survey data was collected and analyzed using SPSS 27.0 software. Results found correlations between mental health symptom severity and empathic responsiveness. Difficulty with empathic concern has been related to impaired social functioning, which could further exacerbate individuals’ symptoms.

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