The Mediating Effect of Language on the Development of Cognitive and Affective Theory of Mind

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felicity J Bigelow ◽  
Gillian M Clark ◽  
Jarrad Lum ◽  
Peter Gregory Enticott
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Language Abilities ◽  
Language Assessments ◽  
Empathic Ability ◽  
The Relationship

Theory of mind (ToM) development is critical to effective social functioning and appears to depend on complementary language abilities. The current study explored the mediating influence of language on the development of cognitive and affective ToM. 151 children aged between 5-12 years completed ToM (cognitive and affective) and language assessments, and parents provided ratings of their child’s empathic ability. Results showed that language mediated the relationship between age and both cognitive and affective ToM, but not parent-reported cognitive empathy. Examination of younger and older subgroups revealed that language mediated cognitive and affective ToM differently across developmental periods. Findings highlight the dynamic role that language plays in the development of both cognitive and affective ToM throughout early and middle childhood.

scholarly journals THEORY OF MIND - NOT EMOTION RECOGNITION - MEDIATES THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND SOCIAL FUNCTIONING IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 292-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Hajduk ◽  
◽  
Dana Krajcovicova ◽  
Miroslava Zimanyiova ◽  
Viera Korinkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Emotion Recognition ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals The Mediating Effect of Parental Involvement on School Climate and Behavior Problems: School Personnel Perceptions

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sónia Maria Martins Caridade ◽  
Hélder Fernando Pedrosa e Sousa ◽  
Maria Alzira Pimenta Dinis
Keyword(s):  
School Climate ◽  
Parental Involvement ◽  
Behavior Problems ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
School Context ◽  
School Personnel ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Potential Factor ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
The Relationship

As a reflection of the culture and norms of the school community, the school climate (SC) is a potential factor connected to students’ major behavior problems (BP). Parental involvement (PI) is considered as an essential factor for SC, contributing to promote good students’ educational results, as well as better social functioning. The present study aimed to analyze the mediating effect of PI on the relationship between SC and BP, taking into consideration the school personnel perceptions. A total of 329 school personnel (teachers versus no teachers) aged between 29 and 66 (M = 50.78, SD = 7.56), mainly female (79%), were integrated in the sample. Based on the perception of the school personnel, the results indicate moderate level of PI and SC, as well as the existence of different BP in the school context. The mediating effect of PI in the relationship between the SC and BP has been demonstrated. These results suggest that, if the SC and PI are improved, it could be an effective strategy to enhance the social functioning of students in the school context. This study thus contributes to a comprehensive empirical analysis of how PI can improve the relationship between the SC and the BP of Portuguese students.

scholarly journals Can Empathy Help Individuals and Society? Through the Lens of Volunteering and Mental Health

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1406
Author(s):  
Yang-Woon Chung ◽  
Seunghee Im ◽  
Jung-Eun Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Affective Empathy ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Volunteer Programs ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
The Relationship

(1) Background: Empathy affects an individual’s decision to participate in volunteering, and volunteering, in turn, influences mental health. Intriguingly, studies have been limited in exploring underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions for the relationship between empathy and mental health. Furthermore, volunteering studies have overlooked the multi-dimensionality of empathy. Therefore, this study seeks to contribute to extant literature by investigating the mediating effect of volunteering for the relationships between cognitive and affective empathy and mental health and the moderating effect of gender for the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (2) Methods; Data were collected using a survey in South Korea and consisted of 301 full-time employees who voluntarily engaged in their corporate volunteer programs. Furthermore, they voluntarily participated in the study. The hypotheses were tested with path analysis and a group comparison was also conducted. (3) Results: Volunteering was found to mediate the relationships between cognitive empathy and affective empathy with mental health. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (4) Conclusions: As the study found empathy to increase individuals’ engaging in volunteering activities which then improved mental health, the study supports extant theoretical frameworks on empathy and volunteering. Moreover, the study found gender differences on empathy and volunteering; thereby supporting and contributing to extant literature.

scholarly journals The Gratitude Mediates the Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Empathy Among Medical Students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yang Ou ◽  
Yanna Ren
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Reactivity Index ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Affective Empathy ◽  
Professional Fulfillment ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background: One of the important parts of medical students' competence is empathy, which is believed to significantly influence patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and the sense of professional fulfillment. Objective: This study explored the potential mediating effect of gratitude on the relationship between self-esteem, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy, which may provide fundamental data for educational programs aiming to promote cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Design: The paper surveyed a total of 344 medical students with the Self-Esteem Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire-6, and the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index Scale. It uses descriptive analysis to determine the levels of self-esteem, gratitude, and empathy, and Pearson’s correlation to analyze correlations between them. It also conducts the pathway analysis with the equipment of structured equation modeling to test the mediating effect of gratitude on the association between self-esteem and empathy. Results: A total of 306 (88.95%) medical students completed the survey. It finds that, first, the levels of self-esteem, gratitude, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy are significantly correlated. Second, self-esteem has a direct, positive effect on cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Third, gratitude has a mediating role between self-esteem, cognitive empathy [b self-esteem - gratitude - cognitive empathy = 0.072, 95% CI = (0.013 to 0.131), p< 0.05], and affective empathy [bself-esteem - gratitude - affective empathy = 0.241, 95% CI = (0.018 to 0.134), p< 0.001]. Conclusion: Based on the role of self-esteem and gratitude in predicting cognitive empathy and affective empathy, this model can be used in the practice of clinical education to promote cognitive empathy and affective empathy in medical students.

scholarly journals Self-projection in middle childhood: a study on the relationship between theory of mind and episodic future thinking

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Adornetti ◽  
Alessandra Chiera ◽  
Daniela Altavilla ◽  
Valentina Deriu ◽  
Andrea Marini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Middle Childhood ◽  
Recognition Task ◽  
Expression Recognition ◽  
Episodic Future Thinking ◽  
Future Thinking ◽  
Common System ◽  
Verbal Explanation ◽  
Behavioral Design ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractGrowing evidence suggests that theory of mind (ToM) and episodic future thinking (EFT) are closely related at both brain and functional level. This study explored the relationship between ToM and EFT in 96 Italian-speaking children with typical development aged between 8 and 10.11 using a behavioral design. ToM was assessed through an emotional facial expression recognition task. EFT was assessed with a task where participants were required to project themselves forward in time by anticipating future states of the self; this resulted in two scores: a nonverbal measure and a verbal explanation measure. Results showed that the participants’ performance on the task assessing ToM correlated with and predicted the nonverbal measure of the EFT task. These findings are discussed in the light of theories suggesting that each of these abilities is governed by a common system devoted to self-projection.

scholarly journals The mediating role of cognitive and affective empathy in the relationship of mindfulness with engagement in nursing

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes ◽  
José Jesús Gázquez Linares ◽  
María del Mar Molero Jurado ◽  
María del Mar Simón Márquez ◽  
África Martos Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Cognitive Empathy ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Multiple Mediation ◽  
Mediation Effects ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Nursing Professionals ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background The work of health professionals is characterized by a high demand for psychological and emotional resources and high levels of stress. Therefore, the promotion of commitment and job well-being through strategies such as increased mindfulness, is important among nursing workers. Although mindfulness has shown positive effects in the health field, few studies have explored the mechanisms and processes underlying these results. We investigated the mediating role of empathy (cognitive/affective) in the effect of mindfulness on the dimensions of engagement in nursing professionals. Methods Sample was comprised of 1268 Spanish nurses between 22 and 62 years old, that completed the Utrecht Labor Engagement Scale and the adapted versions of Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and Basic Empathy Scale. The relationship between variables to be included in the regression analyses, bivariate correlations were carried out, and the descriptive statistics of these variables were also found. To estimate the mediation model was used, in this case for multiple mediation effects. Results Mindfulness is found to affect the Vigor and Dedication factors of engagement through cognitive empathy. While for the Absorption factor, the affective component of empathy also exerts a mediating role, although weaker than cognitive empathy. Cognitive empathy, as an individual factor, was shown to have a mediating effect between mindfulness and the factors of engagement in healthcare workers. Conclusions The level of mindfulness influences engagement of nursing professionals positively, and this result is mediated mainly by cognitive empathy. Both mindfulness and empathy are modifiable individual factors, so their intervention by designing and implementing specific programs, can increase the commitment and wellbeing of professionals generating benefits to workers and to their patients.

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