M. Davis Empathy test: content validity and adaptation in cross-cultural context

Abstract

The article analyzes the results of adaptation and validation of empathy test of M. Davis (IRI) on the Russian-speaking population in Russia and Belarus, as well as adaptation in foreign countries. The test is recognized as a reliable and valid method of diagnosis of empathy and is translated into major languages (German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, etc.). The aim of the article is to clarify the substantive content of the questionnaire scales. The results of researches conducted with IRI in Russia and Belarus are given. The nature of empathic processes reflectied by scales of the test is hypothesized. The analysis is carried out in the context of the adequacy of differentiation “cognitive — affective empathy” and the allocation of other parameters for effective study of empathic phenomena. This article was prepared with the financial support of the Russian Foundation of Hu- manities (project № 15-26-01007) and Belarusian Republican Foundation for Fundamental Research (project №Г15Р-028), international project “Empathy development in socionomic (“helping”) professions”.

Keywords

• empathy
• test adaptation
• cross-cultural context
• Interpersonal Reactivity Index
• perspective-taking
• fantasy
• empathic concern
• personal distress
• empathy regulation