Is Empathy a Risky Strength?
Poster No:
798
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Annika Konrad1,2, Katharina Förster1, Jason Stretton2, Tim Dalgleish2, Anne Böckler-Raettig3, Fynn-Mathis Trautwein4, Tania Singer5, Philipp Kanske1
Institutions:
1Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany, 2MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 3Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany, 4Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, 5Social Neuroscience Lab, Max Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
First Author:
Annika Konrad
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden|MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Dresden, Germany|Cambridge, United Kingdom
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden|MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Dresden, Germany|Cambridge, United Kingdom
Co-Author(s):
Katharina Förster
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Jason Stretton
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Tim Dalgleish
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Anne Böckler-Raettig
Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Würzburg, Germany
Department of Psychology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Würzburg, Germany
Fynn-Mathis Trautwein
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg
Freiburg, Germany
Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Freiburg
Freiburg, Germany
Philipp Kanske
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden
Dresden, Germany
Introduction:
Internalizing symptoms such as elevated stress and sustained negative affect can be important warning signs for developing mental disorders. A recent theoretical framework suggests a complex interplay of empathy, Theory of Mind (ToM), and negative thinking processes as a crucial risk combination for internalizing symptoms (Tone & Tully, 2014). Therefore, this study utilizes neural, behavioral, and self-report data to examine how the interplay between empathy, ToM, and negative thinking processes relates to stress and negative affect.
Methods:
We reanalyzed the baseline data of N = 302 healthy participants (57% female, age: M = 40.52, SD = 9.30) who participated in a large-scale mental training study, the ReSource project (Singer et al., 2016). Recruitment followed a multi-step procedure, including screening, interviews, and questionnaires. Empathy and ToM were assessed via self-report and a validated fMRI paradigm featuring naturalistic video stimuli and specific questions (EmpaToM task, Kanske et al., 2015). Contrasts of interest were emotional > neutral videos and ToM > nonToM (factual reasoning) videos and questions. Additional self-report scales were employed to measure internalizing symptoms (perceived stress, negative affect) and negative thinking processes (rumination and self-blame).
We conducted multiple linear and nonlinear regression analyses to investigate whether negative thinking processes moderate the effects of self-reported and behaviorally assessed empathy and ToM on internalizing symptoms. Second, we used flexible factorial models on the whole brain level to probe whether empathy- and ToM-related brain activations differ depending on individual stress and negative affect levels. The contrast of interest was the interaction between the respective covariates (stress or negative affect) and the empathy or ToM factor.
Last, to examine whether negative thinking processes moderate the effects of empathy- and ToM-related brain activity on internalizing symptoms, we extracted brain activation of pre-defined regions of interest and used the respective estimates in linear and nonlinear regression analyses.
We conducted multiple linear and nonlinear regression analyses to investigate whether negative thinking processes moderate the effects of self-reported and behaviorally assessed empathy and ToM on internalizing symptoms. Second, we used flexible factorial models on the whole brain level to probe whether empathy- and ToM-related brain activations differ depending on individual stress and negative affect levels. The contrast of interest was the interaction between the respective covariates (stress or negative affect) and the empathy or ToM factor.
Last, to examine whether negative thinking processes moderate the effects of empathy- and ToM-related brain activity on internalizing symptoms, we extracted brain activation of pre-defined regions of interest and used the respective estimates in linear and nonlinear regression analyses.
Results:
The regression models using self-report and behavioral empathy- and ToM-related measures revealed that people with lower self-reported ToM and higher empathic distress may be at risk for more internalizing symptoms. There were no quadratic associations between (self-reported or behavioral) empathy or ToM, negative thinking processes, and internalizing symptoms (all ps > .05). Also, the flexible factorial models on the whole brain level showed that none of the activation patterns for the interactions survived the correction threshold.
However, quadratic associations of empathy- and ToM-related brain activation with internalizing symptoms depended on negative thinking processes, suggesting differential effects of cognitive and affective functioning on internalizing symptoms (see Figure 1). Specifically, we found that low and high empathy- and compassion-related insula activity, in interaction with rumination, was associated with more stress. Moreover, low and high ToM-related activity in the middle temporal gyrus was associated with more negative affect, but only in those with lower rumination.
However, quadratic associations of empathy- and ToM-related brain activation with internalizing symptoms depended on negative thinking processes, suggesting differential effects of cognitive and affective functioning on internalizing symptoms (see Figure 1). Specifically, we found that low and high empathy- and compassion-related insula activity, in interaction with rumination, was associated with more stress. Moreover, low and high ToM-related activity in the middle temporal gyrus was associated with more negative affect, but only in those with lower rumination.
·Brain activation derived from the (A) emotional > neutral contrast; (B) ToM > nonToM contrast during the video epoch, and the (C) ToM > nonToM contrast during the question epoch
Conclusions:
Using a multi-method approach, this study contributes to current research by illuminating the complex risk combinations of cognitive and affective functioning that are relevant to internalizing symptoms. People with lower self-reported ToM and higher empathic distress may be at risk for more internalizing symptoms. Quadratic associations of empathy- and ToM-related brain activation with internalizing symptoms depended on negative thinking processes, suggesting differential effects of cognitive and affective functioning on internalizing symptoms. These risk combinations may be of interest for future interventions.
Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:
Social Cognition 1
Emotion and Motivation Other
Modeling and Analysis Methods:
Activation (eg. BOLD task-fMRI) 2
Keywords:
Cognition
Emotions
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Other - Empathy
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
Singer, T. (2016), 'The ReSource Project. Background, Design, Samples, and Measurements', Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences
Tone, E.B. (2014), 'Empathy as a Risky Strength: A Multilevel Examination of Empathy and Risk for Internalizing Disorders', Development and Psychopathology, vol. 26, pp. 1547–1565