Development of Empathy in Girls during the Second Year of Life: Associations with Parenting, Attachment, and Temperament.

This longitudinal study examined the development, antecedents, and concomitants of empathic concern in the second year of life among 125 first-born girls. Findings indicated that empathic concern for mother's simulated distress increased from 16 to 22 months, whereas empathy for a stranger's simulated distress decreased. Fearful temperament and less attachment security predicted less empathic concern for stranger distress. Antecedent and concurrent parenting measures had weak associations with girls' empathic concern. (Author/KB)