QCAE

QCAE: A Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy

The QCAE: A Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy

• • RENATE L. E. P. RENIERS

  • RHIANNON CORCORAN

  • RICHARD DRAKE

  • NICK M. SHRYANE

  • BIRGIT A. VOLLM

Abstract:

Empathy has been inconsistently defined and inadequately measured. This research aimed to produce a new and rigorously developed questionnaire. Exploratory (n1 = 640) and confirmatory (n2 = 318) factor analyses were employed to develop the Questionnaire of Cognitive and Affective Empathy (QCAE).

Principal components analysis revealed 5 factors (31 items). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed this structure in an independent sample. The hypothesized 2-factor structure (cognitive and affective empathy) was tested and provided the best and most parsimonious fit to the data. Gender differences, convergent validity, and construct validity were examined. The QCAE is a valid tool for assessing cognitive and affective empathy

CONCLUSION

New definitions of cognitive and affective empathy were constructed and a new questionnaire assessing these empathic components was developed. Reliability and factor structure of the QCAE were explored and consecutively verified. Females showed significantly higher levels of empathy than males. Furthermore, convergent and construct validity were demonstrated. The QCAE, therefore, seems to be a valid tool for assessing cognitive and affective empathy. Future studies are required to replicate and extend the reported results to consolidate the position of the QCAE as a measure of cognitive and affective empathy

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