INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN EMPATHIC BEHAVIOR IN CHILDREN

本研究的重点是儿童对母亲的移情反应。它 一直被假设由病重的母亲抚养的孩子 对他人情感状态的敏感性受损的可能性增加 和需求。然而，矛盾的是，还有一个相反的假设 也就是说，抑郁母亲的情感需求可能 会导致幼崽的过度敏感和同理心反应 孩子们。90名2岁半至3岁半的儿童及其母亲 受试者为情感性疾病组51例，正常对照组39例。 系统地观察了儿童对他人需求的反应 准自然主义的互动与他们的母亲和在一个实验 母亲模拟强烈的悲伤的过程(由 照片中婴儿的哭泣状态)。作为对实验的回应 程序中，单相抑郁母亲的后代最多 在情感上被唤醒，并对母亲产生共鸣。所有女孩都是 诊断组表现出明显更多的同理心和关怀 孩子们。

The focus of this study is on children's empathic responses to mother. It has been hypothesized that children reared by affectively ill mothers have increased likelihood of impaired sensitivity to others' affective states and needs. Paradoxically, however, there is an opposite hypothesis to be considered, namely, that the affective neediness of depressed mothers may lead to exaggerated sensitivity and empathetic response in their young children. Ninety children, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years of age and their mothers (51 affectively ill and 39 normal control) were the participants. Children's responses to others' needs were systematically observed in quasi-naturalistic interactions with their mothers and in an experimental procedure in which the mother simulated acute, intense sadness (prompted by the crying state of a pictured infant). In response to the experimental procedure, the offspring of unipolar depressed mothers were most emotionally aroused and empathetic toward the mother. Girls in all diagnostic groups showed significantly more empathy and caregiving than did boys.