On the Role of Empathy in Child Development and Psychotherapy: What is Empathy and How Does it Help?
Main Article Content
Abstract
In this article, I will present a contemporary understanding of the nature of empathy and the importance of empathy in successful psychotherapy with children. This perspective highlights the intrinsic relationship of empathy and affect. I will consider how the child therapist’s empathy is expressed and offer a specific hypothesis on the therapeutic efficacy of empathic understanding in clinical work with children. Finally, I will discuss how the experience of empathic understanding is beneficial in the emotional life of the child and in all human relationships, throughout life.
Article Details
How to Cite
BARISH, Kenneth.
On the Role of Empathy in Child Development and Psychotherapy: What is Empathy and How Does it Help?.
Medical Research Archives, [S.l.], v. 11, n. 4, apr. 2023.
ISSN 2375-1924.
Available at: <https://esmed.org/MRA/mra/article/view/3710>. Date accessed: 21 nov. 2024.
doi: https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v11i4.3710.
Section
Research Articles
The Medical Research Archives grants authors the right to publish and reproduce the unrevised contribution in whole or in part at any time and in any form for any scholarly non-commercial purpose with the condition that all publications of the contribution include a full citation to the journal as published by the Medical Research Archives.
References
1. Bromfield R. Doing child and adolescent psychotherapy: adapting psychodynamic treatment to contemporary practice, 2nd ed. John Wiley and Sons; 2007.
2. Buchholz MB. Patterns of empathy as embodied practice in clinical conversation - a musical dimension. Frontiers in Psychology, 2014; (5) 349: 1-20.
3. Greene R, Ablon JS. Treating explosive kids. Guilford; 2006.
4. Fonagy P, Target M. Mentalization and the changing aims of child psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 1998; 8(1): 87-114.
5. Hoffman L. Mentalization, emotion regulation, and countertransference. J. Infant Child Adolesc. Psychotherapy, 2015; 14(3): 258-271.
6. Frankel JB. The play’s the thing: how the essential processes of therapy are seen most clearly in child therapy. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 1998; 8(1): 149-182
7. Koren-Karie N, Oppenheim D, Goldsmith DF. Keeping the inner world of the child in mind: using the insightfulness assessment with mothers in a therapeutic preschool. In Oppenheim D, Goldsmith DF eds. Attachment theory in clinical work with children. Guilford; 2007: 31-57.
8. Eisenberg N. Empathy and sympathy. In Lewis M, Haviland-Jones, JM, eds. Handbook of emotions, 2nd ed. Guilford; 2004: 677-692.
9. Freud S. Group psychology and the analysis of the ego. Hogarth Press, 1921. Standard Edition, XVIII: 67-143.
10. Kohut H. Introspection, empathy, and psychoanalysis: an examination of the relationship between mode of observation and theory. J. Am Psychoanalytic Assn., 1959; 7: 459-483.
11. Rogers C. Empathic: an unappreciated way of being. The Counseling Psychologist, 1975; 2: 2-10.
12. Baron-Cohen S. The essential difference. Basic Books; 2003.
13. Hrdy S. Mothers and Others. Harvard University Press; 2009.
14. Baron-Cohen S. The essential difference. Basic Books; 2003.
15. Watt D. Toward a neuroscience of empathy: integrating affective and cognitive perspectives. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 2007; 9(2): 119–140.
16. Feshbach N. Empathy training. In Groebel J, Hinde R, eds. Aggression and war: their biological and social bases. Cambridge University Press, 1989; 101-111.
17. Chorpita B, Daleiden E. Structuring the collaboration of science and service in pursuit of a shared vision. J Clin Child & Adolesc Psychology, 2014; 43(2): 23–338.
18. Barish K. Emotions in child psychotherapy: an integrative framework. Oxford University Press; 2009.
19. Barish K. How to be a better child therapist: an integrative model for therapeutic change. W. W. Norton; 2018.
20. Frank JD, Frank JB. Persuasion and healing, 3rd ed. Johns Hopkins University; Press, 1991.
21. Bloom P. Against empathy: The case for rational compassion. HarperCollins; 2016.
22. Barish K. Review of Against empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181
23. Coplan A. Understanding empathy: its features and effects. In Coplan A, Goldie P, eds. Empathy: philosophical and psychological perspectives. Oxford University Press; 2011: 3-18.
24. Watt D. Toward a neuroscience of empathy: integrating affective and cognitive perspectives. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 2007; 9(2): 119–140.
25. De Waal F. The age of empathy: nature’s lessons for a kinder society. Random House; 2009.
26. Barish K. Review of Against empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181
27. Gilbert P. Evolution, social roles, and the differences in shame and guilt. Social Research, 2003; 70 (4): 1205-1230.
28. Gilbert P, McGuire MT. Shame, status, and social roles: psychobiology and evolution. In Gilbert P, Andrews B, eds. Shame: interpersonal behavior, psychopathology, and culture. Oxford University Press; 1998: 99-125.
29. Weisfeld GE. Discrete emotions theory with specific reference to pride and shame. In Segal, ML, Weisfeld GE, Weisfeld CC, eds. Uniting psychology and biology: integrative perspectives in human development. American Psychological Association; 1997.
30. Panksepp, J. Affective neuroscience. Oxford University Press; 1998.
31. Barish K. Emotions in child psychotherapy: an integrative framework. Oxford University Press; 2009.
32. Barish, K. Review of Against Empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181
2. Buchholz MB. Patterns of empathy as embodied practice in clinical conversation - a musical dimension. Frontiers in Psychology, 2014; (5) 349: 1-20.
3. Greene R, Ablon JS. Treating explosive kids. Guilford; 2006.
4. Fonagy P, Target M. Mentalization and the changing aims of child psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 1998; 8(1): 87-114.
5. Hoffman L. Mentalization, emotion regulation, and countertransference. J. Infant Child Adolesc. Psychotherapy, 2015; 14(3): 258-271.
6. Frankel JB. The play’s the thing: how the essential processes of therapy are seen most clearly in child therapy. Psychoanalytic Dialogues, 1998; 8(1): 149-182
7. Koren-Karie N, Oppenheim D, Goldsmith DF. Keeping the inner world of the child in mind: using the insightfulness assessment with mothers in a therapeutic preschool. In Oppenheim D, Goldsmith DF eds. Attachment theory in clinical work with children. Guilford; 2007: 31-57.
8. Eisenberg N. Empathy and sympathy. In Lewis M, Haviland-Jones, JM, eds. Handbook of emotions, 2nd ed. Guilford; 2004: 677-692.
9. Freud S. Group psychology and the analysis of the ego. Hogarth Press, 1921. Standard Edition, XVIII: 67-143.
10. Kohut H. Introspection, empathy, and psychoanalysis: an examination of the relationship between mode of observation and theory. J. Am Psychoanalytic Assn., 1959; 7: 459-483.
11. Rogers C. Empathic: an unappreciated way of being. The Counseling Psychologist, 1975; 2: 2-10.
12. Baron-Cohen S. The essential difference. Basic Books; 2003.
13. Hrdy S. Mothers and Others. Harvard University Press; 2009.
14. Baron-Cohen S. The essential difference. Basic Books; 2003.
15. Watt D. Toward a neuroscience of empathy: integrating affective and cognitive perspectives. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 2007; 9(2): 119–140.
16. Feshbach N. Empathy training. In Groebel J, Hinde R, eds. Aggression and war: their biological and social bases. Cambridge University Press, 1989; 101-111.
17. Chorpita B, Daleiden E. Structuring the collaboration of science and service in pursuit of a shared vision. J Clin Child & Adolesc Psychology, 2014; 43(2): 23–338.
18. Barish K. Emotions in child psychotherapy: an integrative framework. Oxford University Press; 2009.
19. Barish K. How to be a better child therapist: an integrative model for therapeutic change. W. W. Norton; 2018.
20. Frank JD, Frank JB. Persuasion and healing, 3rd ed. Johns Hopkins University; Press, 1991.
21. Bloom P. Against empathy: The case for rational compassion. HarperCollins; 2016.
22. Barish K. Review of Against empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181
23. Coplan A. Understanding empathy: its features and effects. In Coplan A, Goldie P, eds. Empathy: philosophical and psychological perspectives. Oxford University Press; 2011: 3-18.
24. Watt D. Toward a neuroscience of empathy: integrating affective and cognitive perspectives. Neuro-Psychoanalysis, 2007; 9(2): 119–140.
25. De Waal F. The age of empathy: nature’s lessons for a kinder society. Random House; 2009.
26. Barish K. Review of Against empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181
27. Gilbert P. Evolution, social roles, and the differences in shame and guilt. Social Research, 2003; 70 (4): 1205-1230.
28. Gilbert P, McGuire MT. Shame, status, and social roles: psychobiology and evolution. In Gilbert P, Andrews B, eds. Shame: interpersonal behavior, psychopathology, and culture. Oxford University Press; 1998: 99-125.
29. Weisfeld GE. Discrete emotions theory with specific reference to pride and shame. In Segal, ML, Weisfeld GE, Weisfeld CC, eds. Uniting psychology and biology: integrative perspectives in human development. American Psychological Association; 1997.
30. Panksepp, J. Affective neuroscience. Oxford University Press; 1998.
31. Barish K. Emotions in child psychotherapy: an integrative framework. Oxford University Press; 2009.
32. Barish, K. Review of Against Empathy: the case for rational compassion. The Humanistic Psychologist, 2021; 49(4): 630-645. https://doi.org/10.1037/hum0000181