Validation of the Empathy Quotient in Mainland China

Qing Zhao; David L Neumann; Xiaoyan Cao; Simon Baron-Cohen; Xiang Sun; Yuan Cao; Chao Yan; Yuna Wang; Lin Shao; David H K Shum

doi:10.1080/00223891.2017.1324458

Validation of the Empathy Quotient in Mainland China

J Pers Assess. 2018 May-Jun;100(3):333-342. doi: 10.1080/00223891.2017.1324458. Epub 2017 May 24.

Authors

Qing Zhao¹, David L Neumann², Xiaoyan Cao³, Simon Baron-Cohen⁴, Xiang Sun^{4

5

6}, Yuan Cao⁷, Chao Yan⁸, Yuna Wang⁹, Lin Shao¹⁰, David H K Shum²

Affiliations

¹ a School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland , Griffith University , Brisbane , Australia.
² b School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland , Griffith University , Gold Coast Campus, Southport , Australia.
³ c Department of Psychology , Southwest Medical University, Luzhou , Sichuan , China.
⁴ d Department of Psychiatry , University of Cambridge , United Kingdom.
⁵ e MIND Institute, University of California , Davis.
⁶ f Psychology Department , The Chinese University of Hong Kong , Hong Kong , China.
⁷ g School of Psychology , University of Queensland , Brisbane , Australia.
⁸ h Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM) , East China Normal University , Shanghai , China.
⁹ i Flight Technology College , Civil Aviation University of China , Tianjin , China.
¹⁰ j CapitalBio Corporation , Beijing , China.

PMID: 28537758
DOI: 10.1080/00223891.2017.1324458

Abstract

This research aimed to validate a simplified Chinese version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ; 60 items) for use with Mainland Chinese people. The original English version of the EQ was translated into simplified Chinese. Through an online survey, 588 Mainland Chinese participants completed the EQ and 3 other questionnaires: the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). Thirty-five participants completed retesting of the EQ 3 to 4 weeks later. Sex differences on the EQ scores and psychometric properties of the EQ items were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis suggested that an EQ 15-item structural model fitted the data quite well. Self-report empathy, as assessed by the current simplified Chinese version of the EQ, appeared to relate to participants' autistic and alexithymic traits but not sex.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Validation Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Affective Symptoms / epidemiology*
Asian People / statistics & numerical data*
China
Empathy*
Factor Analysis, Statistical
Female
Humans
Male
Psychometrics
Self Report*
Sex Characteristics
Surveys and Questionnaires / standards*
Translating