The Short Version of the Basic Empathy Scale among a School Sample of Portuguese Youths: Validity, Reliability and Invariance

Empathy is a multidimensional construct generally defined as the ability to understand and share another's emotional state. The main aim of the present study was to translate and validate the Basic Empathy Scale adapted short version (BES-A) among a school sample (N=543; M=15.65 years; SD=1.84 years; range=12-20 years) of male and female Portuguese youths. The scale demonstrated good psychometric properties, namely in terms of its two-factor structure, internal consistency, discriminant validity with measures of psychopathic traits and aggression, and associations with a measure of social anxiety. Associations with a measure of social anxiety were also examined, revealing positive statistically significant correlations with the affective dimension of empathy. The psychometric properties of the BES-A justify its use among Portuguese adolescents.