Reference values regarding measure of Basic Empathy Scale in forensic adolescents

Empathy has revealed a fundamental role in fostering prosocial and altruistic behavior. Conversely, empathic dysfunction has been associated with antisocial behavior (ASB). The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) has been the most used instrument to measure empathy in studies with children and adolescents in forensic settings. Thus, we conducted a systematic review in order to establish reference values for BES in children and adolescents with conduct disorder/antisocial behavior (CD/ASB) and typical controls. Studies related to the topic were obtained from multiple databases (e.g., EBSCO, PubMed, Web of Science), through rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria. Only papers with empirical and quantitative methodologies from scientific and academic publications were included. A total of 311 studies were identified through database searches and 15 articles were retained for this review. The findings reveal lower empathy scores in children and adolescents with CD/AB (pooled mean for the total scale = 52.32; mean for cognitive empathy = 30.86; pooled mean for affective empathy = 28.83) than controls (pooled mean for the total scale = 67.20; pooled mean for cognitive empathy = 34.04; pooled mean for affective empathy = 32.30). This review provides reference values that can be useful for the application of the BES and the interpretation of its results, both in clinical practice and in future research with children and adolescents.