abstract: This study investigated the relation between Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS) temperament and depression, and whether such a relation might be further influenced by the indirect effects of parenting environment and empathic personal distress. A moderated mediation model was proposed to explain the underlying relations among SPS, depression, parenting environment and empathic personal distress. That is, greater levels of SPS temperament might predict higher levels of empathic personal distress, which then leads to increasing likelihood of experiencing depression. Moreover, it was predicted that this mediation relation might be significantly stronger under a less positive parenting context. The present study recruited 661 participants from a U.S. university and implemented questionnaires in an online survey. There was a significant main effect of SPS temperament in predicting empathic personal distress and depression, such that the more sensitive individuals reported higher empathic personal distress and depression. There also was a significant main effect of parenting environment on depression, where more positive parenting was associated with less depression. Empathic personal distress was found to partially mediate the relation between SPS and depression. That is, the association between SPS and depression could be partially explained by empathic personal distress. However, parenting environment did not moderate the main effect of SPS temperament on depression, the main effect of SPS on empathic personal distress, or the mediation model. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2019

<p>En enkätundersökning genomfördes på 306 gymnasieelever. Syftet var att undersöka samband mellan empati/personal distress och bassjälvkänsla/förvärvad självkänsla. Studien visade att respondenter med hög förvärvad självkänsla har hög empati och personal distress. De med hög bassjälvkänsla känner mycket empati om den förvärvade självkänslan är hög. Respondenter med hög bassjälvkänsla och låg förvärvad känner dessutom lägre empati än de som har lågt i båda självkänslotyperna. De med hög bassjälvkänsla har låg personal distress. De kvinnliga respondenterna hade högst empati, personal distress och förvärvad självkänsla, medan de manliga hade högst bassjälvkänsla. Om det var självkänsla eller erfarenheten av att tidigare ha befunnit sig i en liknande situation som i studien väckte empati diskuteras.</p>

En enkätundersökning genomfördes på 306 gymnasieelever. Syftet var att undersöka samband mellan empati/personal distress och bassjälvkänsla/förvärvad självkänsla. Studien visade att respondenter med hög förvärvad självkänsla har hög empati och personal distress. De med hög bassjälvkänsla känner mycket empati om den förvärvade självkänslan är hög. Respondenter med hög bassjälvkänsla och låg förvärvad känner dessutom lägre empati än de som har lågt i båda självkänslotyperna. De med hög bassjälvkänsla har låg personal distress. De kvinnliga respondenterna hade högst empati, personal distress och förvärvad självkänsla, medan de manliga hade högst bassjälvkänsla. Om det var självkänsla eller erfarenheten av att tidigare ha befunnit sig i en liknande situation som i studien väckte empati diskuteras.

abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine whether dispositional sadness predicted children's prosocial behavior, and whether empathy-related responding (i.e., sympathy, personal distress) mediated this relation. It was hypothesized that children who were dispositionally sad, but well-regulated (i.e., moderate to high in effortful control), would experience sympathy versus personal distress, and thus would engage in more prosocial behaviors than children who were not well-regulated. Constructs were measured across three time points, when children were 18-, 30-, and 42-months old. In addition, early effortful control (at 18 months) was investigated as a potential moderator of the relation between dispositional sadness and empathy-related responding. Separate path models were computed for sadness predicting prosocial behavior with (1) sympathy and (2) personal distress as the mediator. In path analysis, sadness was found to be a positive predictor of sympathy across time. There was not a significant mediated effect of sympathy on the relation between sadness and prosocial behavior (both reported and observed). In path models with personal distress, sadness was not a significant predictor of personal distress, and personal distress was not a significant predictor of prosocial behavior (therefore, mediation analyses were not pursued). The moderated effect of effortful control was significant for the relation between 18-month sadness and 30-month sympathy; contrary to expectation, sadness was a significant, positive predictor of sympathy only for children who had average and low levels of effortful control (children high in effortful control were high in sympathy regardless of level of sadness). There was no significant moderated effect of effortful control on the path from sadness to personal distress. Findings are discussed in terms of the role of sadness in empathy-related responding and prosocial behavior as well as the dual role of effortful control and sadness in predicting empathy-related responding. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Psychology 2012

The current review aims to unravel what is known regarding the neural substrates of empathicdistress and compassion fatigue. Empathic distress is a self-oriented feeling of anxietyexperienced in response to the suffering of another. It has been related to, and theorized to bea precursor of, compassion fatigue. This is a form of caregiver burnout received by secondaryexposure to trauma. In the current thesis, Scopus, Web of Science and PsycINFO weresearched identifying 301 articles that were subsequently screened. In the end, five studieswere included that measured either empathic distress or compassion fatigue in relation tobrain structure or function. Findings are largely inconsistent but areas involved in theory ofmind and that are important for the self-other distinction are discussed. A need for moreresearch is identified, together with a desire for conceptual clarification between compassionfatigue and burnout.

Unresolved global problems, such as extreme poverty, ask for a better understanding of what predicts altruism and what does not. The aim of this thesis project was to address this topical and timely research question by studying the predictive role of compassion and empathy in understanding altruism. In past research on the relationship between altruism and empathy, distinct empathic processes (Perspective taking, Empathic concern, Personal distress, Emotional contagion, and Behavioral contagion) have been often lumped together and the context dependency of the relationship has been insufficiently taken into account, resulting in confusion and contradictory findings. Compassion overcomes these issues. The present web-based survey with previous or current university students (age 18-45; N=240) aimed to clarify relationships between components of empathy, compassion, and altruism. It was hypothesized that (1) compassion would predict altruism beyond all components of empathy; (2) Empathic concern would mediate the relationship between Perspective taking and altruism; (3) compassion would mediate the relationship between Empathic concern and altruism, and (4) higher levels of compassion would result in a reduced negative relationship between Personal distress and altruism. The results supported all hypotheses except for the final one. These findings are discussed in context of previous research and theory, considering the current study limitations and with focus on theoretical and practical implications. In sum, the findings suggest that efforts to motivate altruism should focus on invoking positive emotions of warmth, concern, and relatability. Care should be taken to avoid unnecessary Personal distress when invoking altruism, as this reduces its likelihood.