Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Adolescent Measure of Empathy and Sympathy

In this study we assessed the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the Adolescent Measure of Empathy and Sympathy (CAMES). Chinese children and adolescents aged between 9 and 18 years (N = 3,252) completed the CAMES at 2 time points 2 weeks apart. Confirmatory factor analysis results revealed a 3-factor structure, namely, cognitive empathy, affective empathy, and sympathy, with good model fit. The factors were significantly correlated with the Chinese versions of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Prosocial Tendencies Measure. The intraclass correlation coefficients demonstrated moderate test–retest reliability for the 3 factors of the CAMES, and Cronbach's α coefficients ranged from .80 to .87. We observed that adolescents in the older age group scored lower for affective empathy and sympathy than did their younger counterparts. Our results indicate that the CAMES is a valid and reliable measure of Chinese adolescents’ empathy and sympathy.