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Early affective empathy, emotion contagion, and empathic concern in borderline personality disorder : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Blunden, Anthea G. Henry, Julie D. Pilkington, Pamela D. Pizarro-Campagna, Elizabeth
Blunden, Anthea G.
Henry, Julie D.
Pilkington, Pamela D.
Pizarro-Campagna, Elizabeth
Abstract
Background
Individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) are theorized to experience lower cognitive empathy but heightened affective empathy. Despite meta-analyses addressing cognitive empathy, affective empathy remains unexplored. This pre-registered systematic review and meta-analysis investigated affective empathy in individuals with BPD or high BPD traits relative to healthy comparisons, using a multidimensional approach including, early affective empathy, emotion contagion, and empathic concern.
Methods
Systematic search of SCOPUS, PubMed, Medline COMPLETE, and PsycINFO (June 27, 2022, May 14, 2023, and July 1, 2024) was completed. Included studies compared affective empathy in those with BPD/high BPD traits with healthy comparisons, utilized experimental or self-report designs, and were peer-reviewed or PhD theses. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
Results
Among 22 eligible studies identified, results revealed individuals with BPD/high BPD traits showed significantly higher emotion contagion (Npooled = 1797, g = −1.10, 95 % CI [−1.57, −0.62]). No significant differences were found in empathic concern (Npooled = 1545, g = 0.06, 95 % CI [−0.10, 0.22]), or early affective empathy for anger (Npooled = 245, g = 0.28, 95 % CI [−0.0.53, 1.09]) and happiness, (Npooled = 189, g = 0.34, 95 % CI [−0.1.50, 2.18]).
Limitations
Few included studies for early affective empathy, methodological shortcomings in the broader literature and study heterogeneity suggest caution when interpreting these effects, emphasizing the need for targeted research.
Conclusions
While individuals with BPD/high BPD traits are more likely to subjectively experience others' distress through emotion contagion, no differences were found in early affective empathy or ability to direct sympathy and concern towards others.
Keywords
borderline personality disorder, affective empathy, emotion contagion, empathic concern, facial mimicry
Date
2024
Type
Journal article
Journal
Journal of Affective Disorders Reports
Book
Volume
367
Issue
Page Range
462-478
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
Published as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access
Open
Notes
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).