Thanayot Sumalrot PhD1, Ittipol Pinijvicha MSc1, Sucheera Phattharayuttawat PhD1, Thienchai Ngamthipwatthana MD1, Soisuda Imaroonrak MSc1, Natchaphon Auampradit MSc1
Affiliation : 1 Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To investigate the relationships between attachment styles and empathy, and to examine the predictive power of
attachment styles on empathy.
Materials and Methods : The Attachment Style Questionnaire along with the Basic Empathy Scale (Thai version) was used
to measure attachment styles and empathy, consecutively. The sample consisted of 450 undergraduate students from
Chulalongkorn University.
Results : Substantial correlations between attachment styles and empathy were found. Secure attachment positively related
to affective and cognitive empathy, preoccupied attachment positively correlated with affective empathy, dismissing attach-
ment negatively correlated with affective empathy, and fearful attachment negatively related to cognitive empathy. In terms
of predictability, it was found that empathy could be predicted by attachment styles.
Conclusion : The results revealed different relations of attachment styles and empathy. This finding could be used for
empathy development program.
Keywords : Attachment styles, Empathy
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