Empathy Quotient – EQ
Measures the level of empathy in adults, differentiating between typical functioning individuals and those on the autism spectrum.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Empathy Quotient – EQ was developed by Simon Baron-Cohen, Sally Wheelwright (2004). It is designed to measure Empathy. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 60 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Empathy, Filler.
| Factor / Subscale | Items | N |
|---|---|---|
| Empathy | 1,4,6,8,10,11,12,14,15,18,19,21,22,25,26,27,28,29,32,34,35,36,37,38,39,41,42,43,44,46,48,49,50,52,54,55,57,58,59,60 | 40 |
| Filler | 2,3,5,7,9,13,16,17,20,23,24,30,31,33,40,45,47,51,53,56 | 20 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: strongly_agree = Strongly Agree, slightly_agree = Slightly Agree, slightly_disagree = Slightly Disagree, strongly_disagree = Strongly Disagree.
The scale includes 20 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 0 to 80. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Empathy (indicative of Autism Spectrum Disorder / Asperger Syndrome): 0 – 29
- Average Empathy: 30 – 44
- Above Average Empathy: 45 – 80
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of High test-retest reliability.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.