Validation of Basic Empathy Scale: Exploring a Korean Version

The Basic Empathy Scale was designed to measure the multidimensional aspects of empathetic feelings, such as cognitive and affective empathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Basic Empathy Scale (BES). The Korean version of BES was administered to a sample of early adolescents aged 12–14 (N = 1524). The result of confirmatory factor analysis showed a two-factor solution with method effects associated with negatively worded items to be the most adequate model. Empathy was positively correlated with the measure of attachment, negatively correlated with the measure of bullying problems, and exhibited satisfactory internal consistency. BES proved to be a reliable assessment tool for empathy in a Korean adolescent sample. Moreover, in line with the previous research, girls were found to score significantly higher in both cognitive and affective empathy than boys.