Interpersonal Reactivity Index-C -Chinese Version

Description

Empathy refers to an individual’s ability to recognize and differentiate the emotional states of others, understand their feelings and needs from their perspective, and respond emotionally in a way that resonates with them. Its role is crucial in social adaptation and interpersonal communication. Initially, empathy originated as a concept in philosophy and aesthetics in Germany and has a nearly century-long research history in the West. It is often translated as “empathy,” “sympathy,” or “identification,” but should not be confused with the term “transference” used in psychoanalytic theory. Current literature reveals that there is still no consensus on the definition of empathy among researchers, with various definitions stemming from different perspectives and research purposes. These definitions can broadly be categorized into three orientations: empathy as a state, an ability, or a process (Zheng Richang, 2006).

Authors and Contact Email

Information not available.

Purpose

To measure and assess empathy levels among individuals, particularly focusing on different dimensions of empathy, using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI).

Test Year

The survey was conducted between February 2016 and June 2016.

Administration Method and Scoring

The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) consists of 22 items designed to measure empathy through a five-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not appropriate) to 4 (very appropriate). Higher scores indicate better empathy abilities. The IRI consists of four subscales:
– 观点采择 (Perspective Taking, PT)
– 想象 (Fantasy Scale, FS)
– 共情关注 (Empathic Concern, EC)
– 个人忧伤 (Personal Distress, PD)

The internal consistency α coefficients for each dimension were as follows: 0.76 for PT, 0.66 for FS, 0.56 for EC, and 0.78 for PD.

Reliability and Validity

The study involved a sample of 529 individuals who were screened for severe bodily illnesses, mental disorders, or substance abuse. Participants included male (296) and female (233) individuals aged between 18 and 50 years, with a mean age of 21.55±3.02 years and an average education duration of 14.56±0.72 years. The IRI-C measures empathy across multiple dimensions, providing reliable data on emotional and cognitive empathy.

Factors and Subscales

The IRI includes the following dimensions:
– 观点采择 (Perspective Taking, PT)
– 想象 (Fantasy Scale, FS)
– 共情关注 (Empathic Concern, EC)
– 个人忧伤 (Personal Distress, PD)

Keywords

Empathy, Emotional Understanding, Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Psychological Measurement, Cognitive Empathy, Emotional Empathy.

Items in Chinese

1. 对那些比我不幸的人，我经常有心软和关怀的感觉。
2. 有时候当其他人有困难或问题时，我并不为他们感到很难过。
3. 我的确会投入小说人物中的感情世界。
4. 在紧急状况中，我感到担忧、害怕而难以平静。
5. 看电影或看戏时，我通常是旁观的，而且不经常全心投入。
6. 在做决定前，我试着从争论中去看每个人的立场。
7. 当我看到有人被别人利用时，我有点感到想要保护他们。
8. 当我处在一个情绪非常激动的情况中时，我往往会感到无依无靠，不知如何是好。
9. 有时候我想象从我的朋友的观点来看事情的样子，以便更了解他们。
10. 对我来说，全心地投入一本好书或一部好电影中，是很少有的事。
11. 其他人的不幸通常不会带给我很大的烦忧。
12. 看完戏或电影之后，我会觉得自己好象是剧中的某一个角色。
13. 处在紧张情绪的状况中，我会惊慌害怕。
14. 当我看到有人受到不公平的对待时，我有时并不感到非常同情他们。
15. 我相信每个问题都有两面观点，所以我常试着从这不同的观点来看问题。
16. 我认为自己是一个相当软心肠的人。
17. 当我观赏一部好电影时，我很容易站在某个主角的立场去感受他的心情。
18. 在紧急状况中，我紧张得几乎无法控制自己。
19. 当我对一个人生气时，我通常会试着去想一下他的立场。
20. 当我阅读一篇引人的故事或小说时，我想象着：如果故事中的事件发生在我身上，我会感觉怎么样？
21. 当我看到有人发生意外而极需帮助的时候，我紧张得几乎精神崩溃。
22. 在批评别人前，我会试着想象：假如我处在他的情况，我的感受如何？

Items in English

1. I often feel soft-hearted and caring towards those who are less fortunate than I am.
2. Sometimes I do not feel sorry for others when they are in trouble or have problems.
3. I do get emotionally involved in the worlds of fictional characters.
4. In emergencies, I feel worried, frightened, and find it hard to calm down.
5. When watching movies or plays, I usually remain an observer and do not fully immerse myself.
6. Before making a decision, I try to see each person’s position in an argument.
7. When I see someone being exploited, I feel a bit protective of them.
8. I often feel helpless and unsure of what to do in highly emotional situations.
9. Sometimes I try to imagine how things look from my friends’ perspectives to understand them better.
10. For me, it is rare to immerse myself fully in a good book or a good movie.
11. The misfortunes of others typically do not cause me much distress.
12. After watching a play or a movie, I sometimes feel as though I am one of the characters in the story.
13. In tense emotional situations, I panic and feel frightened.
14. When I see someone being treated unfairly, I sometimes do not feel much sympathy for them.
15. I believe there are two sides to every issue, so I often try to look at things from different perspectives.
16. I consider myself a fairly soft-hearted person.
17. When watching a good movie, I easily get into the character’s feelings and sensations.
18. In emergencies, I feel so nervous that I can hardly control myself.
19. When I am angry at someone, I usually try to think of their position.
20. When I read an engaging story or novel, I imagine how I would feel if the events in the story happened to me.
21. When I see someone who has had an accident and desperately needs help, I feel almost overwhelmed with anxiety.
22. Before criticizing someone, I try to imagine how I would feel in their situation.

References

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