The Mediating Role of the Empathy in the Relationship Between Effortful Control and Antisocial Behavior in Adolescents

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 M.A. in Educational Psychology, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Yasouj, Yasouj, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities,University of Yasouj, Yasouj, Iran

Abstract

Antisocial behaviors include actions that violate social norms and harm others. These behaviors can stem from individual, environmental, and social factors, such as ineffective upbringing, stress, or social pressures. Managing and reducing such behaviors requires effective educational and social interventions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of empathy in the relationship between effortful control and antisocial behaviors in adolescents. The population consisted of all high school students in the academic year 2022-2023 in Shiraz city, from whom a sample of 567 students was selected using a multistage cluster random sampling. The questionnaires of effortful control, empathy, and antisocial behaviors  were distributed among them. The proposed model was evaluated using path analysis with the help of SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 software. The findings indicated that the proposed model had a good fit with the data. Additionally, the results showed that effortful control was significantly related to empathy, and empathy was significantly related to antisocial behaviors. However, no significant relationship was found between effortful control and antisocial behaviors. Further, the results revealed that empathy has a mediating role in the relationship between effortful control and antisocial behaviors. Therefore, empathy plays a crucial role in the influence of effortful control on antisocial behaviors and acts as a mediator. Strengthening empathy can thus be an effective approach to reducing antisocial behaviors, even in cases where effortful control does not have a direct impact.

Keywords

References

Abram, K. M., Zwecker, N. A., Welty, L. J., Hershfield, J. A., Dulcan, M. K., & Teplin, L. A. (2015). Comorbidity and continuity of psychiatric disorders in youth after detention: a prospective longitudinal study. JAMA psychiatry, 72(1), 84-93. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.1375
Assink, M., van der Put, C. E., Hoeve, M., de Vries, S. L., Stams, G. J. J., & Oort, F. J. (2015). Risk factors for persistent delinquent behavior among juveniles: A meta-analytic review. Clinical psychology review, 42, 47-61. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2015.08.002
Baumeister, R. F., & Juola Exline, J. (1999). Virtue, personality, and social relations: Self‐control as the moral muscle. Journal of personality, 67(6), 1165-1194. doi:10.1111/1467-6494.00086
Beelmann, A., Arnold, L. S., & Hercher, J. (2023). Parent training programs for preventing and treating antisocial behavior in children and adolescents: A comprehensive meta-analysis of international studies. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 68, 101798. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2022.101798
Benita, M., Levkovitz, T., & Roth, G. (2017). Integrative emotion regulation predicts adolescents' prosocial behavior through the mediation of empathy. Learning and instruction, 50, 14-20.  doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.11.004
Best, O., & Ban, S. (2021). Adolescence: physical changes and neurological development. British Journal of Nursing, 30(5), 272-275. doi:10.12968/bjon.2021.30.5.272
Boland, R.; Verduin, M.; Ruiz, P. (2021). Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry (translated by Rezaei et al). Tehran: Arjmand Publications (original publication date 2022).
Britt, C. L. (2001). Health consequences of criminal victimization. International Review of Victimology, 8(1), 63-73. doi:10.1177/026975800100800104
Browne, M. W., & Cudeck, R. (1992). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. Sociological methods & research, 21(2), 230-258. doi:10.1177/0049124192021002005
Burt, S. A., & Donnellan, M. B. (2009). Development and validation of the Subtypes of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire. Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the International Society for Research on Aggression, 35(5), 376-398. doi:10.1002/ab.20314
Burt, S. A., Hyde, L. W., Frick, P. J., Jaffee, S. R., Shaw, D. S., & Tremblay, R. (2018). Commentary: Childhood conduct problems are a public health crisis and require resources: a commentary on Rivenbark et al. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, 59(6), 711-713. doi:10.1111/jcpp.12930
Calkins, S. D., & Keane, S. P. (2009). Developmental origins of early antisocial behavior. Development and psychopathology, 21(4), 1095-1109. doi:10.1017/S095457940999006X
Campos, C., Pasion, R., Azeredo, A., Ramião, E., Mazer, P., Macedo, I., & Barbosa, F. (2022). Refining the link between psychopathy, antisocial behavior, and empathy: A meta-analytical approach across different conceptual frameworks. Clinical Psychology Review, 94, 102145. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102145
Carroll, S. L., Mikhail, M. E., & Burt, S. A. (2023). The development of youth antisocial behavior across time and context: A systematic review and integration of person-centered and variable-centered research. Clinical psychology review, 101, 102253. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2023.102253
Chae, S. E. (2022). Executive function and effortful control—Similar and different evidence from big data analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1004403. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1004403
Chaux, E., Molano, A., & Podlesky, P. (2009). Socio‐economic, socio‐political and socio‐emotional variables explaining school bullying: a country‐wide multilevel analysis. Aggressive Behavior: Official Journal of the International Society for Research on Aggression, 35(6), 520-529. doi:10.1002/ab.20320
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. doi:10.4324/9780203771587
Cook, E. C., Pflieger, J. C., Connell, A. M., & Connell, C. M. (2015). Do specific transitional patterns of antisocial behavior during adolescence increase risk for problems in young adulthood?. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 43, 95-106. doi:10.1007/s10802-014-9880-y
Cricchio, M. G. L., Musso, P., Coco, A. L., Cassibba, R., & Liga, F. (2022). The relation between empathy and aggression: The role of attachment style. Europe's journal of psychology, 18(3), 319-336. doi:10.5964/ejop.4509
DeWall, C. N., Baumeister, R. F., Stillman, T. F., & Gailliot, M. T. (2007). Violence restrained: Effects of self-regulation and its depletion on aggression. Journal of Experimental social psychology, 43(1), 62-76. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2005.12.005
Dong, P., Li, W., Hu, Q., Wu, T., Jiang, Y., Jin, H., ... & Zhang, Q. (2024). The relation between effortful control and executive function training in preschoolers. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 238, 105778. doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105778
Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., & Morris, A. S. (2002). Regulation, resiliency, and quality of social functioning. Self and Identity, 1(2), 121-128. doi:10.1080/152988602317319294
Eisenberg, N., Wentzel, M., & Harris, J. D. (1998). The role of emotionality and regulation in empathy-related responding. School Psychology Review, 27(4), 506-521. doi:10.1080/02796015.1998.12085934
Ellis, L. K., & Rothbart, M. K. (2001, April). Revision of the early adolescent temperament questionnaire. In Poster presented at the 2001 biennial meeting of the society for research in child development, Minneapolis, Minnesota. doi:10.1037/t07624-000
Evans, D. E., & Rothbart, M. K. (2007). Developing a model for adult temperament. Journal of research in personality, 41(4), 868-888. doi:10.1016/j.jrp.2006.11.002
Falcón, A. K., Dobbins, A. E., & Stickle, T. R. (2021). Gendered associations among callous-unemotional traits, emotion regulation, and antisocial behavior. Personality and Individual Differences, 179, 110944. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.110944
Gantiva, C., Cendales, R., Díaz, M., & González, Y. (2021). Is there really a relationship between empathy and aggression? Evidence from physiological and self-report measures. Journal of interpersonal violence, 36(7-8), 3438-3458. doi:10.1177/0886260518776999
Georgiou, G., Demetriou, C. A., & Fanti, K. A. (2019). Distinct empathy profiles in callous unemotional and autistic traits: investigating unique and interactive associations with affective and cognitive empathy. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 47(11), 1863-1873. doi:10.1007/s10802-019-00562-1
Gubbels, J., Assink, M., & van der Put, C. E. (2024). Protective factors for antisocial behavior in youth: what is the meta-analytic evidence?. Journal of youth and adolescence, 53(2), 233-257. doi:10.1007/s10964-023-01878-4
Hirtenlehner, H., Trivedi-Bateman, N., Baier, D., & Strohmeier, D. (2023). Does empathy attenuate the criminogenic effect of low self-control in late life?. International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice, 47(1), 57-77. doi:10.1080/01924036.2021.1955219
Jaffee, S. R., Caspi, A., Moffitt, T. E., Polo-Tomas, M., Price, T. S., & Taylor, A. (2004). The limits of child effects: evidence for genetically mediated child effects on corporal punishment but not on physical maltreatment. Developmental psychology, 40(6), 1047. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.40.6.1047
Jami, P. Y., Walker, D. I., & Mansouri, B. (2024). Interaction of empathy and culture: a review. Current Psychology, 43(4), 2965-2980. doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04422-6
Jansen, J. M., & Franse, M. E. (2024). Executive functioning in antisocial behavior: A multi-level systematic meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 102408. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102408
Jebraeili, H. (2024). The prevalence of personality dysfunction and its relationship with risky, impulsive and self-destructive behaviors in general population. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, 5(17), 26-32.  doi:10.22098/jrp.2024.11983.1151
Kamali, A. (2017). Comparison of Bullying, School Avoidance, School Belonging, and Antisocial Behaviors in Adolescents with and without Vandalistic Behavior in Bastak County. Master's Thesis, Malayer University, Faculty of Literature and Humanities.
Keramati H, Motaharnejad E, Kadivar P, Arabzade M. (2021). Investigating of factor structure, validity and reliability of the Effortful Control Scale (ECS) in Iranian adolescents. Journal of Psychological Science. 20(102), 837-848. http://psychologicalscience.ir/article-1-1193-fa.html
Khaliq, A., & Rasool, S. (2019). Causes of Student`s Antisocial Behavior at Secondary level schools. The Spark, A HEC Recognized Journal, 4, 116-148.
Kilpatrick, D. G., & Acierno, R. (2003). Mental health needs of crime victims: Epidemiology and outcomes. Journal of Traumatic Stress: Official Publication of The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 16(2), 119-132. doi:10.1023/A:1022891005388
Kline, R. B. (2005). Principles and practices of structural equation modeling (2nd Eds.). New York: Guilford.
Kourmousi, N., Amanaki, E., Tzavara, C., Merakou, K., Barbouni, A., & Koutras, V. (2017). The Toronto empathy questionnaire: reliability and validity in a nationwide sample of Greek teachers. Social Sciences, 6(2), 62-76. doi:10.3390/socsci6020062
Krueger, R. F., & South, S. C. (2009). Externalizing disorders: Cluster 5 of the proposed meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-11: Paper 6 of 7 of the thematic section:‘A proposal for a meta-structure for DSM-V and ICD-11’. Psychological medicine, 39(12), 2061-2070.doi:10.1017/S0033291709990328
Lee, L., & Madera, J. M. (2021). A within-level analysis of the effect of customer-focused perspective-taking on deep acting and customer helping behaviors: The mediating roles of negative affect and empathy. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102907. doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102907
LeSure-Lester, G. E. (2000). Relation between empathy and aggression and behavior compliance among abused group home youth. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 31, 153-161. doi:10.1023/A:1001900727156
Loeber, R., Slot, W., & Stouthamer-Loeber, M. (2008). A cumulative developmental modelof risk and promotive factors. In R. Loeber, H. M. Koot, N. W. Slot, P. H. Van derLaan, & M. Hoeve (Eds.), Tomorrow’s criminals: The development of child delinquency and effective interventions (pp. 133-161). Ashgate Publishing Ltd. https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/ 
Loeber, R., Wung, P., Keenan, K., Giroux, B., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., Van Kammen, W. B., & Maugham, B. (1993). Developmental pathways in disruptive child behavior. Development and psychopathology, 5(1-2), 103-133. doi:10.1017/S0954579400004296
Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child development, 71(3), 543-562. doi:10.1111/1467-8624.00164
Lyons, J. S., Royce Baerger, D., Quigley, P., Erlich, J., & Griffin, E. (2001). Mental health service needs of juvenile offenders: A comparison of detention, incarceration, and treatment settings. Children's Services: Social Policy, Research, and Practice, 4(2), 69-85. doi:10.1207/S15326918CS0402_2
MacDonald, H. Z., & Price, J. L. (2019). The role of emotion regulation in the relationship between empathy and internalizing symptoms in college students. Mental Health & Prevention, 13, 43-49. doi:10.1016/j.mhp.2018.11.004
Marshall, W. L., Hudson, S. M., Jones, R., & Fernandez, Y. M. (1995). Empathy in sex offenders. Clinical psychology review, 15(2), 99-113. doi:10.1016/0272-7358(95)00002-7
Mazza, M., Lisci, F. M., Marzo, E. M., De Masi, V., Abate, F., & Marano, G. (2025). Why do they do it? The psychology behind antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. Pediatric Reports, 17(2), 26. doi:10.3390/pediatric17020026
Memarian, E., Manavipour, D., & Sedaghati Fard, M. (2021). Toronto Empathy Questionnaire: Evaluation of Psychometric Properties in a Sample of Iranian Students. Social Cognition, 10(19), 177-194. doi:10.30473/sc.2021.58198.2664
Miller, P. A., & Eisenberg, N. (1988). The relation of empathy to aggressive and externalizing/antisocial behavior. Psychological bulletin, 103(3), 324-344. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.324
Miller, T. R., Fisher, D. A., & Cohen, M. A. (2001). Costs of juvenile violence: Policy implications. Pediatrics, 107(1), e3-e3. doi:10.1542/peds.107.1.e3
Moffitt, T. E. (1993). The neuropsychology of conduct disorder. Development and psychopathology, 5(1-2), 135-151. doi:10.1017/S0954579400004302
Moffitt, T. E., Arseneault, L., Belsky, D., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J., Harrington, H., ... & Caspi, A. (2011). A gradient of childhood self-control predicts health, wealth, and public safety. Proceedings of the national Academy of Sciences, 108(7), 2693-2698. doi:10.1073/pnas.1010076108
Mohamadi, S. Y. , Sotoodeh Asl, N. , Jahan, F. and Moazedian, A. (2024). A causal model on adolescents' high-risk behaviors based on religious beliefs and self-compassion mediated by emotion regulation and social support. Journal of Research in Psychopathology, 5(16), 27-35. doi:10.22098/jrp.2022.10741.1097
Nembhard, I. M., David, G., Ezzeddine, I., Betts, D., & Radin, J. (2023). A systematic review of research on empathy in health care. Health services research, 58(2), 250-263. doi:10.1111/1475-6773.14016
Odgers, C. L., Moffitt, T. E., Broadbent, J. M., Dickson, N., Hancox, R. J., Harrington, H., ... & Caspi, A. (2008). Female and male antisocial trajectories: From childhood origins to adult outcomes. Development and psychopathology, 20(2), 673-716. doi.org/10.1017/S0954579408000333
Orm, S., Vatne, T., Tomeny, T. S., & Fjermestad, K. (2022). Empathy and prosocial behavior in siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 9(2), 235-248. doi:10.1007/s40489-021-00251-0
Ornaghi, V., Conte, E., & Grazzani, I. (2020). Empathy in toddlers: The role of emotion regulation, language ability, and maternal emotion socialization style. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 586862. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586862
Panfile, T. M., & Laible, D. J. (2012). Attachment security and child's empathy: The mediating role of emotion regulation. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly (1982-), 1-21. doi:10.1353/mpq.2012.0003
Piquero, A. R., Daigle, L. E., Gibson, C., Piquero, N. L., & Tibbetts, S. G. (2007). Research note: are life-course-persistent offenders at risk for adverse health outcomes?. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 44(2), 185-207. doi:10.1177/0022427806297739
Plata Ordoñez, C. N., Riveros Otaya, M. D. C., & Moreno Méndez, J. H. (2010). Self-esteem and empathy in adolescents observers, aggressors and victims of bullying at a school in the town of Chia. Psychologia. Avances de la Disciplina, 4(2), 99-112. http://www.scielo 23862010000200009&script=sci_abstract
Robinson, F., & Keithley, J. (2000). The impacts of crime on health and health services: A literature review. Health, Risk & Society, 2(3), 253-266. doi:10.1080/713670168
Rodriguez, L. M., Martí-Vilar, M., Esparza Reig, J., & Mesurado, B. (2021). Empathy as a predictor of prosocial behavior and the perceived seriousness of delinquent acts: A cross-cultural comparison of Argentina and Spain. Ethics & Behavior, 31(2), 91-101. doi:10.1080/10508422.2019.1705159
Rothbart, M. K., & Bates, J. E. (1998). Handbook of child psychology: Vol. 3. Social, emotional and personality development (pp. 105–176). Handbook of child psychology: Social, emotional and personality development (5th ed., Vol. 3, pp. 105–176). New York, NY: Wiley. doi:10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0303
Rothbart, M. K., Ahadi, S. A., & Hershey, K. L. (1994). Temperament and social behavior in childhood. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly (1982-), 21-39. https://www.jstor.org/stable/23087906
Sawyer, A. M., Borduin, C. M., & Dopp, A. R. (2015). Long-term effects of prevention and treatment on youth antisocial behavior: A meta-analysis. Clinical psychology review, 42, 130-144. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2015.06.009
Scott, S., Knapp, M., Henderson, J., & Maughan, B. (2001). Financial cost of social exclusion: follow up study of antisocial children into adulthood. Bmj, 323(7306), 191-196. doi:10.1136/bmj.323.7306.191
Sofia, R. M., & Cruz, J. F. A. (2015). Self-control as a mechanism for controlling aggression: A study in the context of sport competition. Personality and Individual Differences, 87, 302-306. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2015.08.025
Spreng, R. N., McKinnon, M. C., Mar, R. A., & Levine, B. (2009). The Toronto Empathy Questionnaire: Scale development and initial validation of a factor-analytic solution to multiple empathy measures. Journal of personality assessment, 91(1), 62-71.  doi:10.1080/00223890802484381
Tangney, J. P., Baumeister, R. F., & Boone, A. L. (2004). High self-control predicts good adjustment, less pathology, better grades, and interpersonal success. Journal of personality, 72(2), 271–324. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3506.2004.00263.x
Taravian, S., Nikdel, F., Taghvaei Nia A. (2024) Examining the Psychometric Indicators of Antisocial Behavior Questionnaire in Iranian Teenagers. RBS, 22 (2), 288-300. http://rbs.mui.ac.ir/article-1-1725-en.html
Taylor, Z. E., Eisenberg, N., Spinrad, T. L., Eggum, N. D., & Sulik, M. J. (2013). The relations of ego-resiliency and emotion socialization to the development of empathy and prosocial behavior across early childhood. Emotion, 13(5), 822-831. doi:10.1037/a0032894
Van der Graaff, J., Carlo, G., Crocetti, E., Koot, H. M., & Branje, S. (2018). Prosocial behavior in adolescence: Gender differences in development and links with empathy. Journal of youth and adolescence, 47(5), 1086-1099. doi:10.1007/s10964-017-0786-1
Viding, E., & McCrory, E. (2019). Towards understanding atypical social affiliation in psychopathy. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(5), 437-444.doi:10.1016/S2215-0366(19)30049-5
Wakschlag, L. S., Briggs‐Gowan, M. J., Carter, A. S., Hill, C., Danis, B., Keenan, K., ... & Leventhal, B. L. (2007). A developmental framework for distinguishing disruptive behavior from normative misbehavior in preschool children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 48(10), 976-987. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2007.01786.x
Wang, F. M., Chen, J. Q., Xiao, W. Q., Ma, Y. T., & Zhang, M. (2012). Peer physical aggression and its association with aggressive beliefs, empathy, self-control, and cooperation skills among students in a rural town of China. Journal of interpersonal violence, 27(16), 3252-3267. doi:10.1177/0886260512441256
Wass, S. V. (2021). The origins of effortful control: How early development within arousal/regulatory systems influences attentional and affective control. Developmental Review, 61, 100978. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2021.100978
Welsh, B. C., Loeber, R., Stevens, B. R., Stouthamer-Loeber, M., Cohen, M. A., & Farrington, D. P. (2008). Costs of juvenile crime in urban areas: A longitudinal perspective. Youth violence and juvenile justice, 6(1), 3-27. doi:10.1177/1541204007308427
Wu, X., Yao, S. C., Lu, X. J., Zhou, Y. Q., Kong, Y. Z., & Hu, L. (2024). Categories of training to improve empathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 150(10), 1237-1260. doi:10.1037/bul0000453
Zhang, Y., MacNeill, L. A., Edwards, R. C., Burns, J. L., Zola, A. R., Poleon, R. B., ... & Wakschlag, L. S. (2024). Developmental trajectories of irritability across the transition to toddlerhood: Associations with effortful control and psychopathology. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology, 52(1), 125-139. doi:10.1007/s10802-023-01098-1

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics