title: Dispositional empathy in neglectful mothers and mothers at high risk for child physical abuse.
abstract: This study investigates whether mothers who are neglectful and at high risk for child physical abuse present a deficit in empathy. Participants were neglectful mothers (n=37), mothers at high risk for child physical abuse (n=22), and nonmaltreating mothers (n=37). The Interpersonal Reactivity Index, a self-report measure assessing specific dimensions of empathy, was used to assess dispositional empathy. No differences between neglectful and non-neglectful mothers were found for perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress. High-risk mothers reported less perspective taking and more personal distress than nonmaltreating mothers. No difference between groups was found for empathic concern. The present study supported the hypothesis that parents at high risk for child physical abuse show a deficit in particular aspects of dispositional empathy: personal distress and perspective taking. However, no differences were found between neglectful and nonmaltreating mothers in any dimension of dispositional empathy.
authors.affiliation: University of Basque Country, Spain. ptpdeock@ss.ehu.es
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Paúl
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pérez-Albéniz
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guibert
authors.forename: Nagore
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Asla
authors.forename: Amaia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ormaechea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010555:Personality Inventory; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012938:Social Perception; D013030:Spain; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires