Adolescent empathic concern and perspective taking: Heterogeneous developmental trajectories and childhood social and psychological factors

OBJECTIVE: The joint developmental trajectories of empathic concern and perspective taking were examined across adolescence, along with childhood social and psychological predictors. METHOD: Adolescents completed self-report measures of empathy annually from Grades 7 to 10 (i.e., ages 13 to 16; N = 609; 53.9% girls; 76.2% White). Childhood social and psychological predictors were assessed in Grades 5 and 6 using self- and parent-reports.