The Impact of Early Experiences on Empathy Development: Markers of Vulnerability and Resilience, 2020-2021

Empathy develops in the context of close relationships. Children observe their parents’ emotional responses to others and listen to their parents explain emotions and associated behaviours. It follows that the experience of maltreatment interferes with typical empathy development because sensitive caregiving is compromised. This study aims to explore the influence of maltreatment and subsequent adoption on empathy development in a cross-sectional design comparing adopted with non-adopted primary-school-aged children. It is hypothesised that there will be a group difference, with adopted children scoring lower on parent-report and behavioural measures of empathy than the non-adopted group. Because empathy develops within caregiver-child relationships, it is expected that caregivers’ empathy is associated with child empathy, and, further, that this relationship is moderated by maltreatment (group) status. The sample comprised 27 adopted and 72 non-adopted comparison children (Mean age = 8.77 years, SD = 1.61) and their caregivers living in the UK recruited through schools and adoptive agencies.A combination of questionnaire measures to assess trait empathy and behavioural assessments to assess state empathy is used. Adopted children scored significantly lower on both state and trait measures of empathy. Intriguingly caregivers also differed significantly on state and trait measures of empathy with adoptive parents scoring higher. Significant associations appear between caregiver and child trait empathy measures, but these relationships were not significantly moderated by maltreatment status. Findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for professionals, including in educational contexts, supporting maltreated children, and for biological and alternative caregivers.