Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ)
Abstract
In the present study we examined psychometric properties of the Serbian translation of the Empathy Quotient scale (S-EQ). The translated version of the EQ was applied on a sample of 694 high-school students. A sub-sample consisting of 375 high-school students also completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), another widely used empathy measure. The following statistical analyses were applied: internal consistency analysis, explanatory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses, and factor congruence analysis. Correlation with IRI and gender differences were calculated to demonstrate validity of the instrument. Results show that the Serbian 40-item version of EQ has lower reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .782) than the original. The originally proposed one factor structure of the instrument was not confirmed. The short version with 28 items showed better reliability (alpha= .807). The three-factor solution (cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity, and social skills) showed good ...cross-sample stability (Tucker congruence coefficient over .8) but the results of CFA confirmed the solution proposed in the reviewed literature only partially. The mean scores are similar to those obtained in the other studies, and, as expected, women have significantly higher scores than men. Correlations with all subscales of IRI are statistically significant for the first two subscales of EQ, but not for the 'social skills.' We concluded that the Serbian version of the 'Empathy Quotient' is a useful research tool which can contribute to cross-cultural studies of empathy, although its psychometric characteristics are not as good as those obtained in the original study. We also suggest that a 28-item should be used preferably to the original 40-item version.
Keywords:
Serbian version / psychometric properties / Interpersonal Reactivity Index / Empathy QuotientSource:
Psihologija, 2012, 45, 3, 257-276Publisher:
- Društvo psihologa Srbije, Beograd
Funding / projects:
DOI: 10.2298/PSI1203257D
ISSN: 0048-5705
WoS: 000309276600002
Scopus: 2-s2.0-84872542740
Institution/Community
Psihologija / PsychologyTY - JOUR AU - Dimitrijević, Aleksandar AU - Hanak, Nataša AU - Vukosavljević-Gvozden, Tatjana AU - Opačić, Goran PY - 2012 UR - http://reff.f.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1522 AB - In the present study we examined psychometric properties of the Serbian translation of the Empathy Quotient scale (S-EQ). The translated version of the EQ was applied on a sample of 694 high-school students. A sub-sample consisting of 375 high-school students also completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), another widely used empathy measure. The following statistical analyses were applied: internal consistency analysis, explanatory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses, and factor congruence analysis. Correlation with IRI and gender differences were calculated to demonstrate validity of the instrument. Results show that the Serbian 40-item version of EQ has lower reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .782) than the original. The originally proposed one factor structure of the instrument was not confirmed. The short version with 28 items showed better reliability (alpha= .807). The three-factor solution (cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity, and social skills) showed good cross-sample stability (Tucker congruence coefficient over .8) but the results of CFA confirmed the solution proposed in the reviewed literature only partially. The mean scores are similar to those obtained in the other studies, and, as expected, women have significantly higher scores than men. Correlations with all subscales of IRI are statistically significant for the first two subscales of EQ, but not for the 'social skills.' We concluded that the Serbian version of the 'Empathy Quotient' is a useful research tool which can contribute to cross-cultural studies of empathy, although its psychometric characteristics are not as good as those obtained in the original study. We also suggest that a 28-item should be used preferably to the original 40-item version. PB - Društvo psihologa Srbije, Beograd T2 - Psihologija T1 - Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ) EP - 276 IS - 3 SP - 257 VL - 45 DO - 10.2298/PSI1203257D ER -
@article{ author = "Dimitrijević, Aleksandar and Hanak, Nataša and Vukosavljević-Gvozden, Tatjana and Opačić, Goran", year = "2012", abstract = "In the present study we examined psychometric properties of the Serbian translation of the Empathy Quotient scale (S-EQ). The translated version of the EQ was applied on a sample of 694 high-school students. A sub-sample consisting of 375 high-school students also completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), another widely used empathy measure. The following statistical analyses were applied: internal consistency analysis, explanatory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses, and factor congruence analysis. Correlation with IRI and gender differences were calculated to demonstrate validity of the instrument. Results show that the Serbian 40-item version of EQ has lower reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .782) than the original. The originally proposed one factor structure of the instrument was not confirmed. The short version with 28 items showed better reliability (alpha= .807). The three-factor solution (cognitive empathy, emotional reactivity, and social skills) showed good cross-sample stability (Tucker congruence coefficient over .8) but the results of CFA confirmed the solution proposed in the reviewed literature only partially. The mean scores are similar to those obtained in the other studies, and, as expected, women have significantly higher scores than men. Correlations with all subscales of IRI are statistically significant for the first two subscales of EQ, but not for the 'social skills.' We concluded that the Serbian version of the 'Empathy Quotient' is a useful research tool which can contribute to cross-cultural studies of empathy, although its psychometric characteristics are not as good as those obtained in the original study. We also suggest that a 28-item should be used preferably to the original 40-item version.", publisher = "Društvo psihologa Srbije, Beograd", journal = "Psihologija", title = "Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ)", pages = "276-257", number = "3", volume = "45", doi = "10.2298/PSI1203257D" }
Dimitrijević, A., Hanak, N., Vukosavljević-Gvozden, T.,& Opačić, G.. (2012). Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ). in Psihologija Društvo psihologa Srbije, Beograd., 45(3), 257-276. https://doi.org/10.2298/PSI1203257D
Dimitrijević A, Hanak N, Vukosavljević-Gvozden T, Opačić G. Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ). in Psihologija. 2012;45(3):257-276. doi:10.2298/PSI1203257D .
Dimitrijević, Aleksandar, Hanak, Nataša, Vukosavljević-Gvozden, Tatjana, Opačić, Goran, "Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the Empathy Quotient (S-EQ)" in Psihologija, 45, no. 3 (2012):257-276, https://doi.org/10.2298/PSI1203257D . .