Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations
Examining Empathy, Cognitive Distortions, and Social and Physical Aggression in Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Adolescents
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Psychology/Clinical
First Advisor
Marie Tisak (Committee Chair)
Second Advisor
John Tisak (Committee Co-Chair)
Third Advisor
Robert Carels (Committee Member)
Fourth Advisor
Stephen Cernkovich (Committee Member)
Abstract
In this study, relationships among empathy, cognitive distortions, social, physical, and violent aggression, and delinquency in adolescents were examined. In particular, interaction effects between empathy and cognitive distortions were studied with regard to their ability to predict different types of aggression. The results supported one interaction between the perspective-taking component of empathy and cognitive distortions that was a unique predictor of social aggression. Cognitive distortions had very strong relationships with social, physical, and violent aggression. Male delinquents indicated the highest levels of social and violent aggression, while non-delinquent participants endorsed more moderate physical aggression than the delinquent population. Older participants endorsed more social aggression than their younger counterparts; however, females' endorsement of social aggression decreased with age while males' increased with age.
Recommended Citation
Capuano, Angela, "Examining Empathy, Cognitive Distortions, and Social and Physical Aggression in Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Adolescents" (2011). Psychology Ph.D. Dissertations. 51.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/psychology_diss/51