Exploring the Role of Empathy in the Association Between Early Life Adversity and Antisocial Behavior.

ABSTRACT: Early life adversity (ELA) refers to stressful childhood experiences such as neglect, abuse, and violence exposure that can profoundly shape behavior. While ELA is consistently linked to antisocial behavior (e.g., aggression, delinquency), the role of empathy in this connection is unclear. Empathy, the ability to understand and resonate with others' thoughts and emotions, is theoretically linked to antisocial behavior, but empirical work has produced mixed findings. We explore mediation and moderation frameworks to explain the ELA-antisociality link. Using an online sample of 165 adults, we examine three ELA dimensions (unpredictability, threat, and deprivation) and their association with antisocial behavior and empathy through an ecologically valid empathic accuracy task. We also compare

SUBMITTER: Kahhale I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11904027 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature