Tully Erin C, Ames Alyssa M, Garcia Sarah E, Donohue Meghan Rose
a Georgia State University.
J Psychol. 2016;150(1):15-35. doi: 10.1080/00223980.2014.992382. Epub 2015 Jan 7.
Empathic tendencies have been associated with interpersonal and psychological benefits, but empathy at extreme levels or in combination with certain personal characteristics may contribute to risk for depression. This study tested the moderating role of cognitive emotion regulation in depression's association with empathy using nonlinear models. Young adults (N = 304; 77% female; M = 19 years) completed measures of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, depression, and affective and cognitive empathy. Individuals with good regulation had low levels of depression overall and their depression symptoms were lowest when levels of affective empathy were average. Individuals with poor regulation had high levels of depression overall, particularly when levels of empathy were moderate to high. Extremely high and low levels of cognitive empathy were associated with elevated depression, and this association was not moderated by regulation. These findings suggest tendencies to respond empathically to others' needs is neither an adaptive nor maladaptive characteristic but rather moderate empathy, particularly in the context of good regulation, may offer the greatest protection against depression.
共情倾向与人际关系和心理益处相关，但极端水平的共情或与某些个人特征相结合可能会增加患抑郁症的风险。本研究使用非线性模型测试了认知情绪调节在抑郁症与共情关联中的调节作用。年轻成年人（N = 304；77% 为女性；平均年龄19岁）完成了认知情绪调节策略、抑郁以及情感和认知共情的测量。调节良好的个体总体上抑郁水平较低，当情感共情水平处于平均水平时，他们的抑郁症状最轻。调节不良的个体总体上抑郁水平较高，尤其是当共情水平为中度到高度时。极高和极低水平的认知共情与抑郁加剧相关，且这种关联不受调节的影响。这些发现表明，对他人需求做出共情反应的倾向既不是适应性特征也不是适应不良特征，而是适度的共情，尤其是在调节良好的情况下，可能对预防抑郁症提供最大的保护。
