EAI
Empathy Assessment Index (EAI)
Developing the Social Empathy Index: An Exploratory Factor Analysis
"The Empathy Assessment Index (EAI) (Gerdes et al., 2011; Gerdes, Segal, & Lietz, 2010; Lietz et al., 2011) is a critical and foundational part of the Social Empathy Index. The 20-item EAI has four components based on the most recent social cognitive neuroscience conceptualization of empathy:
2) self-other awareness,
3) perspective-taking, and
4) emotion regulation. (Decety & Moriguchi, 2007)
The four components represent the four isolable neural networks that mediate empathy in the brain. These networks process incoming information on a millisecond timescale allowing individuals to
feel what others feel,
perceive what others see or understand, and
possibly even recognize the intentions of others (Mar, 2011)."
Karen E. Gerdes, PhD, associate professor⇓,
Cynthia A. Lietz, PhD, LCSW, assistant professor and
Elizabeth A. Segal, PhD, professor
"Abstract
Instruments currently being used to measure empathy do not reflect the recent neuroscientific scholarship on mirror neurons and the importance of self-awareness and emotion regulation in experiencing the fullest extent of empathy.
The authors describe a theoretical framework for the initial development and pilot application of an empathy self-report instrument, the Empathy Assessment Index (EAI). The EAI is based on a comprehensive definition of empathy that is rooted in social cognitive neuroscience, developmental psychology, and social work's commitment to social justice.
The authors present reliability, concurrent validity, and data reduction and refinement results from the first administration of the index. Four of the five EAI subscales had excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Three subscales were tested for concurrent validity. The exploratory factor analysis identified six factors that explained over 43% of the variance."