Psychology RootsTable of Contents
Empathy – Teen Conflict Survey
Here in this post, we are sharing the “Empathy – Teen Conflict Survey”. You can read psychometric and Author information. We have thousands of Scales and questionnaires in our collection (See Scales and Questionnaires). You can demand us any scale and questionnaires related to psychology through our community, and we will provide you with a short time. Keep visiting Psychology Roots.
About Empathy – Teen Conflict Survey
Scale Name
Empathy – Teen Conflict Survey
Author Details
Kris Bosworth and Dorothy L. Espelage
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Empathy scale, part of the Teen Conflict Survey, developed by Kris Bosworth and Dorothy L. Espelage in 1995, is a self-report questionnaire designed to measure an individual’s ability to listen, care, and trust others among middle school students in grades 6-8 (ages 11-14). Developed at the Center for Adolescent Studies, Indiana University, the unpublished survey assesses social-emotional competencies related to conflict management, as cited in Dahlberg et al. (2005). The Empathy subscale specifically evaluates adolescents’ capacity for empathic behaviors, which are critical for prosocial interactions and reducing aggression, aligning with empathy theories (Eisenberg & Miller, 1987) and violence prevention research (Farrell et al., 1992).
The subscale comprises 5 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale (0 = “never” to 3 = “often”), assessing behaviors indicative of empathy (e.g., “I can listen to others,” “I care about how others feel,” or “I trust people”). Scores are summed (range: 0-15), with higher scores indicating greater empathic ability. Validated in urban middle school samples, the scale was used in evaluations of violence prevention programs like SMART Talk (Bosworth et al., 2000) and to study bullying dynamics (Bosworth et al., 1999).
Psychologists, educators, and violence prevention researchers use the Empathy scale to assess prosocial tendencies, evaluate intervention effectiveness, and explore mediators of aggressive behavior. Its focus on early adolescence is a strength, but its moderate internal consistency, unpublished status, and English-only availability may limit reliability and accessibility.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain a copy of the Empathy scale from authorized sources, such as Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths, or contact the Center for Adolescent Studies, ensuring ethical use permissions.
- Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses their ability to understand and care for others to promote positive relationships, emphasizing confidentiality and using age-appropriate language.
- Provide instructions, asking students to rate each of the 5 items based on how often they engage in the described empathic behaviors, using the 4-point scale.
- Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes, given its brevity.
- Administer in a classroom or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to promote honest responses. Oral administration may be used for students with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
Obtain a copy of the Empathy scale from authorized sources, such as Dahlberg et al. (2005) Measuring Violence-Related Attitudes, Behaviors, and Influences Among Youths (p. 122, available at http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/YV_Compendium.pdf), or contact the Center for Adolescent Studies, ensuring ethical use permissions.
Explain the purpose to respondents, noting that it assesses their ability to understand and care for others to promote positive relationships, emphasizing confidentiality and using age-appropriate language.
Provide instructions, asking students to rate each of the 5 items based on how often they engage in the described empathic behaviors, using the 4-point scale.
Approximate time for completion is 1-2 minutes, given its brevity.
Administer in a classroom or research setting, using paper or digital formats, ensuring a private environment to promote honest responses. Oral administration may be used for students with reading difficulties.
Reliability and Validity
The Empathy scale has moderate psychometric properties, as reported in Dahlberg et al. (2005). Internal consistency is modest, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.62, indicating limited item cohesion, possibly due to the small number of items or variability in adolescents’ understanding of empathy. Test-retest reliability is not reported, but stability is inferred to be moderate based on similar empathy measures (e.g., r ≈ 0.50-0.70 over weeks).
Convergent validity is supported by correlations with related constructs, such as prosocial behavior (r ≈ 0.30-0.50) and lower aggression (r ≈ -0.30), as seen in bullying studies (Bosworth et al., 1999). Discriminant validity is inferred from weaker correlations with unrelated constructs, such as academic performance (r < 0.30). Criterion validity is demonstrated by its sensitivity to intervention effects, with increased empathy scores post-intervention in the SMART Talk program (Bosworth et al., 2000). Factor analyses are not detailed, but the subscale’s focus on listening, caring, and trusting supports construct validity. The moderate reliability suggests cautious use, ideally paired with more robust empathy measures like the Interpersonal Reactivity Index.
Available Versions
05-Items
Reference
Bosworth, K., & Espelage, D. (1995). Teen conflict survey. Bloomington, IN: Center for Adolescent Studies, Indiana University.
Dahlberg, L. L., Toal, S. B., Swahn, M. H., & Behrens, C. B. (2005). Measuring violence-related attitudes, behaviors, and influences among youths: A compendium of assessment tools. Centers for disease control and prevention.
Bosworth, K., Espelage, D., DuBay, T., Daytner, G., & Karageorge, K. (2000). Preliminary evaluation of a multimedia violence prevention program for adolescents. American Journal of Health Behavior, 24(4), 268-280.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Empathy scale measure?
It measures the ability to listen, care, and trust others.
Who can use the scale?
Psychologists, educators, and researchers studying middle school students.
How long does the scale take to complete?
It takes about 1-2 minutes.
Is the scale specific to middle school students?
Yes, it targets grades 6-8 in urban settings.
Can the scale inform interventions?
Yes, but moderate reliability (α = 0.62) requires cautious use with other measures.
Disclaimer
Please note that Psychology Roots does not have the right to grant permission for the use of any psychological scales or assessments listed on its website. To use any scale or assessment, you must obtain permission directly from the author or translator of the tool. Psychology Roots provides information about various tools and their administration procedures, but it is your responsibility to obtain proper permissions before using any scale or assessment. If you need further information about an author’s contact details, please submit a query to the Psychology Roots team.
Help Us Improve This Article
Have you discovered an inaccuracy? We put out great effort to give accurate and scientifically trustworthy information to our readers. Please notify us if you discover any typographical or grammatical errors.
Make a comment. We acknowledge and appreciate your efforts.
Share With Us
If you have any scale or any material related to psychology kindly share it with us at psychologyroots@gmail.com. We help others on behalf of you.
