The Relationship between Self-construal, Personal Distress, and Empathy

This study aimed to examine the structural relationships between independent self-construal, interdependent self-construal, personal distress, and empathy.

The methodology was essential for achieving its purpose. It involved descriptive and correlational data collection, utilizing structural equation modeling. The statistical population consisted of male and female undergraduate students from the faculties of psychology and social sciences at Tehran University during the 2021-2022 academic year. The sample consisted of 282 students from the faculties mentioned, who were selected using the convenience sampling method. The research participants completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, Empathy Quotient, Self-construal Scale, and cognitive tasks including the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and the Test of Reading Faces. To analyze the data, structural equation modeling was conducted using AMOS version 24 and SPSS version 24 software.

The study findings indicated that independent self-construal positively and significantly influences empathy (p < .001, β = 0.349), while personal distress negatively and significantly affects empathy (p < .001, β = -0.430). Additionally, interdependent self-construal was found to have no significant effect on empathy. The structural model fit well with the collected data.

The results indicate the significance of the independent self-construal variable and personal distress variable in the realm of empathy. Their roles can be further explored in the context of enhancing empathy.