Abstract

RODRIGUES, Marisa Cosenza  and  RIBEIRO, Nathalie Nehmy. Evaluation of empathy in children participating and not participating in a program of sociocognitive development. Psicol. teor. prat. [online]. 2011, vol.13, n.2, pp. 114-126. ISSN 1516-3687.

Empathy seems to be improved with the development of sociocognitive factors. The study investigated differences in the level of empathic abilities and with regard to gender in children participating and not participating in a program of sociocognitive development, implemented by teachers with the aim of promoting language concerned with mental states and social information processing. The research involved 40 children aged 7 years (21 boys and 19 girls): 20 children 20 children participating and 20 not participating. After the program's end the empathy Scale for Children and Adolescents was individually applied. There were 284 empathetic responses (65%) in the participant group and 244 empathetic responses (55%) in the non‑participant group, being this difference a significant one, that is, the program's target group responded in a more empathetic way. Regarding gender, there were no significant differences. One concludes the program implemented indirectly contributed to the development of children's empathetic abilities.

Keywords : empathy; sociocognitive development; language; elementary school; promotion.

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