Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, USA,
Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.
Gerontology. 2021;67(1):101-111. doi: 10.1159/000511418. Epub 2020 Dec 9.
Scholars have proposed that empathy is a key feature of strong social ties, but less is known about the role empathy plays when tensions arise.
We examined whether older adults' empathy was associated with (a) coping strategies for interpersonal tensions, and (b) mood when there were tensions throughout the day. We also explored whether coping strategies explained the potential buffering effect of empathy on older adults' momentary mood.
Older adults (N = 302) from the Daily Experiences and Well-Being Study completed a baseline survey on empathy and coping strategies. They also completed ecological momentary assessments every 3 hours each day for 5-6 days, which included questions about interpersonal tensions and mood. This study considered tensions with close partners (e.g., family and friends) and with non-close partners (e.g., acquaintances and service providers).
In the face of interpersonal tensions, more empathic older adults reported using more constructive and less destructive coping strategies than less empathic older adults, regardless of their closeness to social partners. Being more empathic also buffered older adults' mood when tensions occurred with close partners, but this buffering effect was not mediated by older adults' general preference for coping strategies.
This study advances our understanding of empathy and interpersonal tensions in later life, with a focus on daily experiences.
学者们提出，同理心是强烈社会关系的关键特征，但同理心在紧张局势出现时所起的作用知之甚少。
我们研究了老年人的同理心是否与（a）应对人际紧张的策略，以及（b）当整天都存在紧张时的情绪有关。我们还探讨了应对策略是否解释了同理心对老年人即时情绪的潜在缓冲作用。
来自日常经历和幸福感研究的老年人（N=302）在同理心和应对策略方面完成了基线调查。他们还每天每 3 小时完成 5-6 天的生态瞬间评估，其中包括关于人际紧张和情绪的问题。本研究考虑了与亲密伙伴（例如，家人和朋友）以及非亲密伙伴（例如，熟人）之间的紧张关系。
面对人际紧张，与同理心较低的老年人相比，同理心较强的老年人报告使用了更多建设性和更少破坏性的应对策略，而不论他们与社会伙伴的亲近程度如何。当与亲密伙伴发生紧张关系时，更有同理心也能缓冲老年人的情绪，但这种缓冲作用不是由老年人对一般应对策略的偏好所介导的。
这项研究深入了解了同理心和晚年的人际紧张关系，重点关注日常体验。
