Links between Early Individual Differences in Empathy and Externalizing Behavioral Problems in Toddlerhood

• In Event: 2-142 - Predictors and Outcomes of Early Empathy and Prosocial Development: Findings from Longitudinal Investigations

Integrative Statement

Although it has been assumed that empathy for others in distress emerges only during the second year of life, recent work has challenged this assumption, showing meaningful individual differences in empathic concern early in the first year of life (e.g., Roth-Hanania, et al., 2011; Davidov et al., 2013). Therefore, studies regarding the developmental consequences of these early individual differences are needed. This presentation will focus on one potential outcome of early empathy - externalizing behavior difficulties.
During early childhood, results regarding the links between empathy and externalizing have been inconsistent. Whereas some studies found negative associations (e.g., Strayer & Roberts, 2004) other studies reported no links (e.g., Hasting et al., 2000), and one study looking at very young children (2-year-olds, Gill & Calkins, 2003) found a surprising positive association, with children high on externalizing showing greater empathy toward others in distress. Thus, more work is needed in order to clarify the association between empathy and externalizing in the early years.
A sample of Israeli infants (50% females) were observed in their homes at ages 3-months (N=158), 6-months (N=155, 98%), 12-months (N=151, 96%), 18-months (N=147, 93%) and 36-months (N=142, 90%). At each visit, infants’ responses to three distress episodes (mother, experimenter, video of peer) were assessed and coded for empathic concern. At 18- & 36-months externalizing difficulties were reported by parents and (at 36-months) also by kindergarten-teachers using Achenbach’s CBCL/TRF 1.5-5.
The associations between empathy and behavior problems are presented in Table 1. The results show three main findings:
1. Replicating the surprising finding by Gill and Calkins (2003), we found that higher empathy at ages 12- and 18-months was positively correlated with parent-reported externalizing behaviors at 18-months.
2. The above effect was moderated by gender: We found significant gender-by-empathy interactions on externalizing behavior both for parent-reports (at 18- and 36-months) and for kindergarten-teacher reports of externalizing (with 5 of 12 interactions reaching significance, see Table 1). Specifically, higher empathic abilities were linked to greater externalizing behaviors for girls but with lesser externalizing for boys.
3. When examining change in externalizing from 18 to 36 months, early empathy appeared to serve as a protective factor, such that children low on empathy were more likely to increase in externalizing from 18 to 36 months compared to their high empathy counterparts. Thus, repeated measures analysis revealed significant interactions between change in externalizing and initial empathy level (low vs. high) at both 6 and 18-months (see Figure 1; 6m: F(1,128)=3.93, p=.050; 18m: F(1,129)=7.43, p=.007); results for empathy at 3- and 12-months were in the same direction. This finding held for the entire sample (i.e., was not moderated by gender).
It appears that the role played by empathic abilities during the development of externalizing problems begins early, but depends on gender and age. The findings also raise questions regarding the meaning of very early externalizing behavior, especially for girls. Perhaps this behavior reflects unskilled attempts to engage and communicate with others, or assertive behavior rather than aggression? This and other interpretations will be discussed.

Authors

• Yael Paz, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  Presenting Author

• Tal Orlitsky, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mor Hayut, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  Non-Presenting Author

• Ronit Roth-Hanania, Tel Aviv-Yaffo Academic College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maayan Davidov, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  Non-Presenting Author