Caring helps: Trait empathy is related to better coping strategies and differs in the poor versus the rich

Coping has been extensively studied in health psychology; however, factors influencing the usage of different coping strategies have received limited attention. In five studies (N = 3702), we explored the relationship between trait empathy and coping strategies, and how subjective socioeconomic status (SES) moderates this relationship. In Studies 1–4, we found that people with higher level of empathic concern use more adaptive coping strategies, seek more social support, and use fewer maladaptive coping strategies. Moreover, higher trait empathy related to more adaptive coping strategies among the poor, and fewer maladaptive coping strategies among the rich. In Study 5, we tested the potential biological basis of the relationship between trait empathy and coping by examining the effect of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) rs53576 polymorphism on coping. We found that individuals with the GG phenotype—who in previous research have been found to be more empathic—were more likely to seek social support than AG or AA individuals. Furthermore, in line with findings in Studies 1–4, amongst people with low SES, individuals with GG genotype used more adaptive coping strategies than AG or AA individuals. Our results highlight the selective role trait empathy plays in influencing coping strategy deployment, depending on the SES of individuals.心理应对在健康心理学领域已得到广泛研究，但针对不同应对策略的使用影响因素，相关探讨仍较为有限。本研究通过五项研究（总样本量N=3702），探讨了特质共情（trait empathy）与应对策略之间的关联，以及主观社会经济地位（SES）对该关联的调节作用。在研究1至4中，我们发现，共情关注水平更高的个体，会更多采用适应性应对策略、寻求更多社会支持，同时更少使用适应不良型应对策略。进一步而言，特质共情水平越高的个体，在社会经济地位较低的群体中更倾向于采用适应性应对策略，而在社会经济地位较高的群体中则更少使用适应不良型应对策略。在研究5中，我们通过考察催产素受体基因（OXTR）rs53576多态性对个体应对行为的影响，验证了特质共情与应对策略之间关联的潜在生物学基础。我们发现，携带GG基因型的个体——既往研究显示该基因型群体的共情水平更高——相比AG或AA基因型个体，更主动寻求社会支持。此外，与研究1至4的研究结果一致，在社会经济地位较低的群体中，携带GG基因型的个体相比AG或AA基因型个体，更常采用适应性应对策略。本研究结果凸显了特质共情在影响个体应对策略选择中所发挥的选择性作用，且该作用依赖于个体自身的社会经济地位。