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Neurological Sciences
Published in: Neurological Sciences 6/2014

01-06-2014 | Original Article

Addiction and empathy: a preliminary analysis

Authors: Valentina Ferrari, Enrico Smeraldi, Giampiero Bottero, Ernestina Politi

Published in: Neurological Sciences | Issue 6/2014

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Abstract

Addicted patients show impaired social functioning. Chronic drug consumption may lead to impairments in decoding empathic cues. The aim of the study is to explore empathy abilities in addicted patients and the hypothesis of a differential impairment between affective and cognitive empathy. 62 addicted patients and 40 healthy volunteers were evaluated using the empathy quotient (EQ) and its subscales cognitive empathy (factor 1), emotional empathy (factor 2), social skills (factor 3). Patients scored statistically significantly lower than controls in EQ total score, in particular in factor 2. No difference was found in factor 1 and in factor 3. Consistent with previous findings, our study suggests specific impairment in emotional empathy combined with preserved cognitive empathy. These findings show important clinical implication in the development of specific rehabilitative programmes for the empowerment of empathy abilities and interpersonal skills that constitute important components in the prevention of relapse.
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Metadata
Title
Addiction and empathy: a preliminary analysis
Authors
Valentina Ferrari
Enrico Smeraldi
Giampiero Bottero
Ernestina Politi
Publication date
01-06-2014
Publisher
Springer Milan
Published in
Neurological Sciences / Issue 6/2014
Print ISSN: 1590-1874
Electronic ISSN: 1590-3478
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-013-1611-6

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