Comparing Cognitive Empathy and Emotional Empathy in Assertive Individuals and Individuals with Antisocial Personality Style

Empathy is an element that has an important impact on mental health and interpersonal relationships. In some psychiatric disorders, including antisocial personality disorder, some degree of empathy decreases due to different causes. The aim of the current study is to compare cognitive empathy and emotional empathy in assertive individuals and individuals with antisocial personality style. The type of research was theoretical or fundamental and research method post factor. The study population consisted of all students studying at Imam Khomeini International University in the academic year of 1395-96. In sample selection, judgment sampling method was used. Thirty individuals with assertive personality style and 30 persons with antisocial personality style were selected as a statistical sample. Research data were obtained through Townend Own Oerception, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, Empathy Quotient, and Emotional Empathy.To analyze the data, In addition to descriptive statistics, inferential statistics (multivariate regression analysis) was also used. Findings showed that affective empathy in anti-social personality individuals was lower than in assertive individuals, and cognitive empathy in the two groups of assertive individuals and anti-social personality individuals did not differ. Because of the low emotional empathy in people with antisocial personality style related to brain injury Incorrect understanding emotions from faces. Also the cause of low assertiveness and emotional empathy in individuals with antisocial personality style can be found in insecure attachment.