The purpose of this study is to research the relation between children's empathy level and problem behavior in order to supply basic data to decrease and prevent problem behavior through empathy education by understanding need of empathy education in ...
The purpose of this study is to research the relation between children's empathy level and problem behavior in order to supply basic data to decrease and prevent problem behavior through empathy education by understanding need of empathy education in elementary schools.
The subjects of this study was 308 boys and girls of fifth grade in three elementary schools in Pohang City, Gyeongbuk, and the data were collected by questionnaire.
As for measuring tools, perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern in IRI test by Davis(1980), and empathetic awakening by B.K. Bryant(1982) translated and completed by Park Seong Hee(1997) were used. As for the measurement for problem behavior, among K-CBCL made by Achenbach and translated by Oh Gyeong Ja, Lee Hye Ryeon, Hong Gang Eui and Ha Eun Hye, behavior measurement of self reporting type for teenagers was used.
Main results of this study are as follows;
First, the higher level of sympathy of children, the lower problem behavior level they had. And, the higher negative relation was found between level of cognitive sympathy than level of emotional sympathy with problem behavior.
Second, the higher sympathy level was found in girls and the higher level of problem behavior in boys.
Third, level of cognitive sympathy showed higher negative relation with problem behavior in both of boys and girls, and especially prospect taking showed highest negative relation with problem behavior.
As the results above, empathy and problem behavior show significant negative relation. Therefore, empathy education to decrease problem behavior is very important. We can prevent and decrease various problem behavior which may happen to oneself or to the other persons when we help and activate in order to be involved positively with empathetic feeling and protective intention about other persons' unhappiness or pain by increasing sympathy for oneself and other persons through empathy education.