Moral cognitive correlates of empathy in juvenile delinquents.
BACKGROUND
Numerous theories of anti-social behaviour have featured lack of empathy as an essential characteristic of the anti-social personality.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationships between empathy and three theoretically related moral cognitive constructs: moral judgement maturity, moral identity and self-serving cognitive distortion.


METHODS
Seventy-eight adjudicated juvenile delinquents aged 13 to 21 years who had been directed by the court to attend a 10-week empathy training programme completed self-report measures as part of routine evaluation. Their anonymized scores were retrieved from programme records.


RESULTS
Applying zero-order correlation, followed by regression analysis, we established that moral judgement maturity was associated with greater empathy, whereas extensive endorsement of self-serving cognitive distortions was associated with lower empathy. An observed association between moral identity and empathy was mediated or 'neutralised' by self-serving cognitive distortion.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that interventions designed to promote empathy and curtail anti-social behaviour should embrace strategies that facilitate moral judgement maturity and correct or counteract self-serving cognitive distortions.
Barriga
Alvaro Q
AQ
Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA 15601, USA. barriga@setonhill.edu
Sullivan-Cosetti
Marilyn
M
Gibbs
John C
JC
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003073:Cognitive Dissonance; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008297:Male; D035863:Moral Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012649:Self Concept; D012941:Social Responsibility; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult