The Relationship between Cognitive and Affective Empathy and Indirect and Direct Aggression in Dutch Adolescents

Abstract

Studies on the relationship between empathy and aggression haven’t often focused on subtypes of empathy and aggression. The present study researches the relationship between cognitive and affective empathy and indirect and direct aggression in adolescents. The sex differences within these relationships are investigated, and the development of aggression over five measurements is explored. The sample consists of 272 Dutch adolescents (136 male and 136 female). Results indicate that cognitive empathy is negatively related to indirect aggression in males and direct aggression in females. Furthermore for males and females, personal distress is positively related to respectively indirect and direct aggression. Over the five waves there is a significant quadratic trend in aggression. Further research should be done using different assessment measures to confirm the results.