Associations Among Adolescents' Mindfulness, Sympathy, Cognitive Empathy, and Sibling Relationships

An examination of mindfulness on Mu suppression and pain empathy and its relation to trait empathy

There have been multiple benefits reported from the practice of mindfulness meditation. Recently social functioning, including empathy, has emerged as one such possible benefit. However, the literature is mixed and it is unknown if mindfulness has an effect on the neural mechanism involved in empathy. Therefore, we conducted a large-scale experimental study involving over 100 participants that were either enrolled in a behavioral or EEG experiment to examine pain empathy and mu suppression, respectively. We also measured state and trait mindfulness and trait empathy. Results did not show a change in pain empathy or mu suppression in response to an acute mindfulness manipulation. However, pain empathy responses were able to be predicted significantly better when the component of state mindfulness involving decentering was incorporated into a regression model compared to trait empathy alone. Also, trait empathy was related to trait mindfulness. Collectively, state decentering may be involved in increased pain empathy, while trait mindfulness appears more related to general trait empathy. Further research is warranted to better understand the potential benefit a brief mindfulness meditation may produce in the realm of brain activity and social functioning.

Psychometric validation of the sibling inventory of behavior in three- to six-year-old Chinese children

With increasing attention on sibling relationship studies in China, one problem that has been neglected is the limited validation of instruments used to assess these relationships. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Sibling Inventory of Behavior to measure Chinese children's sibling relationships using a stratified random sample of 590 parents of three- to six-year-olds in three economic regions. The confirmatory factor analysis obtained an adequate fit, suggesting that the Chinese version of the instrument had a six-factor structure (i.e., Companionship, Empathy, Teaching, Rivalry, Aggression, and Avoidance). It demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency as well as test-retest reliability. Results of discriminant, convergent, and criterion-related validity test also fulfilled psychometric requirements. Furthermore, the residual measurement invariance across regions was discovered. Given the importance, emergence, and tendency of sibling studies in China, having a reliable and valid instrument with robust psychometric properties is essential and impactful.