Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue)

Abstract

The Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue) is a validated Psychological Scale designed to assess dimensions of early Empathy in young children, typically reported by their parents. Developed by Rieffe, Ketelaar, and Wiefferink (2010), the EmQue addresses the need for a comprehensive, parent-report instrument capable of capturing the complex, multi-faceted nature of empathy during early childhood development. It is structured around 20 items, which are divided into three distinct subscales: Emotion Contagion, Attention to Others’ Feelings, and Prosocial Actions. The instrument utilizes a simple 3-point response format, making it accessible for caregivers to report on their child’s behaviors and emotional reactions to others’ distress or happiness.

The primary goal of the EmQue is to quantify individual differences in emotional responsiveness and socially appropriate behavior, providing valuable insights for researchers studying developmental psychology and socio-emotional regulation. Its construction and validation were detailed in a key 2010 publication, establishing its utility as a reliable measure of empathy in preschool-aged populations.

Keywords

Empathy, Child Development, Affective Responses, Prosocial Actions, Emotion Contagion, Psychological Assessment, Parent-Report, Socio-Emotional Development.

Authors

Rieffe, C., Ketelaar, L., & Wiefferink, C.H.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue) is to provide researchers and clinicians with a standardized, parent-report measure for quantifying the different components of empathy displayed by young children. It aims to capture how children react emotionally and behaviorally when witnessing the affective states of others.

The scale serves to differentiate between passive emotional sharing (such as distress or mirroring) and active, intentional social responses (such as helping or comforting). By focusing on observable behaviors and reactions, the EmQue facilitates the study of developmental trajectories concerning emotional competence and the emergence of prosocial behavior in the critical preschool period.

Construct

The EmQue measures the psychological construct of Empathy, conceptualized as a multi-dimensional construct encompassing both emotional resonance and cognitive understanding of others’ states. The scale is specifically designed to capture three distinct, yet interrelated, sub-components of empathy visible in young children:

• Emotion Contagion: This subscale measures the child’s tendency to involuntarily adopt the observed emotion of another person, often resulting in personal distress or mirroring the affective state.
• Attention to Others’ Feelings: This dimension assesses the child’s attentiveness and awareness regarding the emotional displays of peers or adults, reflecting an early form of cognitive recognition of others’ states.
• Prosocial Actions: This subscale captures the child’s active and voluntary responses aimed at alleviating another person’s distress or contributing to their positive state, representing the behavioral outcome of empathic motivation.

Validity

The validation study conducted by Rieffe, Ketelaar, and Wiefferink (2010) established the EmQue’s strong psychometric validity. The instrument demonstrates robust construct validity, as evidenced by the clear differentiation between the three hypothesized factors (Emotion Contagion, Attention, and Prosocial Actions) through factor analysis. This structure aligns well with theoretical models proposing affective and cognitive components of empathy.

Furthermore, studies using the EmQue have confirmed its criterion validity by showing expected correlations with other established measures of socio-emotional development and externalizing/internalizing behaviors in young children. The scale successfully captures individual differences in emotional responsiveness that are predictive of later social competence.

Reliability

The EmQue exhibits good internal consistency, suggesting that the items within each subscale reliably measure their intended construct. The validation process, detailed in the 2010 publication, confirms the scale’s reliability, particularly the consistency of parent reports across the three dimensions of empathy. The stability of the scores over time (test-retest reliability) has also been supported in subsequent research, making it a reliable tool for longitudinal studies of early childhood development.

The reliability of the distinct subscales allows for nuanced analysis, enabling researchers to examine whether a child’s empathic profile is characterized more by affective reactions (contagion) or by active behavioral responses (prosociality).

Factor Analysis

The development of the EmQue utilized Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to determine the underlying structure of the 20 items. This analysis confirmed a clear, three-factor solution, which strongly supported the theoretical model proposed by the authors. These three factors correspond precisely to the conceptualized components of empathy:

• Factor 1: Emotion Contagion (7 items)
• Factor 2: Attention to Others’ Feelings (7 items)
• Factor 3: Prosocial Actions (6 items)

This structural validation ensures that the EmQue effectively measures distinct facets of empathic functioning rather than a single, global construct, enhancing its utility in developmental research.

Instrument

Test Type: Parent-Report Questionnaire

Format: 3-point Likert scale, where parents rate how applicable each statement is to their child’s behavior. The response options are typically defined as: Not at all applicable (as far as you are aware of), A little or sometimes applicable, and Clearly or often applicable (or simplified to No, Sometimes, Often).

Language Available: English (Original research likely conducted in Dutch, with validated English translations widely used).

Population Group: Young Children

Age Group: Typically utilized for children in the toddler and preschool age range (approximately 2 to 6 years).

Population Details: The scale is administered to the primary caregiver (usually the parent) who reports on the frequency and intensity of the child’s empathic and socio-emotional behaviors.

Test Methodology: Quantitative survey methodology. The scale is often administered in a paper-and-pencil format or digitally, requiring parents to rate 20 items based on their observation of their child’s behavior in social and emotional contexts.

Keywords

Parent-Report, Child Psychology, Affective Development, Emotional Regulation, Social Cognition, Empathy Assessment, Developmental Measure, Early Childhood.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in the source content.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in the source content.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in the source content.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue) was first published and validated in 2010. The instrument is often made available by the authors for non-commercial academic research and educational purposes. Researchers seeking official use should consult the authors or the Focus on Emotions website for the most current licensing and permission requirements.

The original PDF of the scale, which may include further details on scoring and administration, can be downloaded here: http://www.focusonemotions.nl/images/EmQue_English.pdf

Reference’s

Rieffe‚ C.‚ Ketelaar‚ L.‚ & Wiefferink‚ C.H. (2010). Assessing empathy in young children; construction and validation of an empathy questionnaire (EmQue). Personality and Individual Differences‚ 49‚ 362–367.

Further information about the instrument development is available at: http://www.focusonemotions.nl/index.php/instrument-development

Items of the Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue)

The EmQue consists of 20 items distributed across three subscales:

• Emotion Contagion (7 items): Items 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, and 19.
• Attention to Others’ Feelings (7 items): Items 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, and 20.
• Prosocial Actions (6 items): Items 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 17.

Scale Items:

1. When another child cries‚ my child gets upset too.

2. When I make clear that I want some peace and quiet‚ my child tries not to bother me.

3. When my child sees other children laughing‚ he/she starts laughing too.

4. My child also needs to be comforted when another child is in pain.

5. When another child starts to cry‚ my child tries to comfort him/her.

6. When an adult gets angry with another child‚ my child watches attentively.

7. When another child makes a bad fall‚ shortly after my child pretends to fall too.

8. When another child gets upset‚ my child tries to cheer him/her up.

9. My child looks up when another child laughs.

10. When another child is upset‚ my child needs to be comforted too.

11. When I make clear that I want to do something by myself (e.g. read)‚ my child leaves me alone for a while.

12. When adults laugh‚ my child tries to get near them.

13. When another child gets frightened‚ my child freezes or starts to cry.

14. When two children are quarrelling‚ my child tries to stop them.

15. My child looks up when another child cries.

16. When other children argue‚ my child gets upset.

17. When another child gets frightened‚ my child tries to help him/her.

18. When another child is angry‚ my child stops his own play to watch.

19. When another child cries‚ my child looks away.

20. When other children quarrel‚ my child wants to see what is going on.