title: [Dimensions of Empathy in Ex-Combatants of the Colombian Armed Conflict Using a Standardized Scale].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Empathy is one of the main concepts of in social neurosciences. It is defined as a trait with multiple dimensions allowing individuals to place themselves in the emotional states of others. Colombia has an irregular, internal and long-lasting armed conflict which has been increasing its cruelty levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  to assess the empathy dimensions of 285 ex-combatants from the internal Colombian conflict, using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI) in Spanish. METHODOLOGY AND SUBJECTS: a sample of 285 male ex-combatants, 241 (84, 6%) males: 85,3% paramilitaries, and 14,7% guerillas. The 28 Item IRI questionnaires were administered. 3 exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were performed. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were developed using structural equation procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first EFA obtained 9 factors (KMO=0,74, variance 54,7% and internal consistency (IC): 0,22 - 0,63). The second EFA produced 20 items with burdens above 0,4 and showed a 6-factor structure (KMO=0,70, variance 50,3%, IC: 0,37 - 0,63). The third EFA forced the 4 original IRI dimensions (KMO=0,74, variance 33,77, IC: 0,44 - 0,77. CFAs showed goodness of adjustment indexes adequate for the three models. The 4-factor model obtained the lowest value, while the 6-factor model obtained the highest. The 4- factor model showed the best IC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Spanish IRI administered to ex-combatants of the Colombian conflict has possible structures of 4, 6 and 9 factors. The best adjustment was for the 6-fctor. The 4-factor model exhibited the best IC.
authors.affiliation: Médico neurólogo, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia. Grupo de Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia. Electronic address: dpineda12@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Pineda
authors.affiliation: Mg. Epidemiología PhDc, Grupo de Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Daniel Camilo
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Aguirre-Acevedo
authors.affiliation: Psicóloga PhD, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia. Grupo de Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Trujillo
authors.affiliation: Psicóloga, Grupo Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Valencia
authors.affiliation: Psicóloga, Grupo de Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Ángela
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Pareja
authors.affiliation: Médico, PhDc, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia. Grupo de Neuropsicología y Conducta, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tobón
authors.affiliation: Psicóloga, Grupo de Neurociencias de Antioquia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Velilla
authors.affiliation: Psicólogo PhD, Instituto de Neurología Cognitiva (INECO), Universidad Favaloro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina, Universidad Diego Portales, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Agustín
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
keywords: Empatía; Emphaty; análisis factorial; cognición social; factor analysis; neurociencias sociales; social cognition; social neurosciences; violence; violencia