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The aim of this study is to explore young people's perspectives on the factors that facilitate or inhibit empathy and prosocial responding among youth. Qualitative focus groups (n = 29) were undertaken with Irish young people aged 13-17 years relating to their views on the factors that facilitate or inhibit the expression of empathy. Parents, friends, and social media were found to be key influences, whereas barriers identified included societal norms, gender norms, lack of skill, or knowledge and target characteristics. This research provides important insights into adolescents' perceptions of the social correlates of empathy. Concepts from the sociology of empathy, such as empathy maps and paths, are helpful in drawing out the implications for future research and practice., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Community Psychology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The changing landscape of higher education and increased prevalence of mental health issues have placed pressure on universities to respond effectively to the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Whilst higher education institutions provide support services to help students who are encountering difficulties, it often falls to fellow students to offer support. However, peers may lack awareness and knowledge about how to intervene or be reluctant to intervene due to the 'bystander effect' that diffuses responsibility for action in group settings. This article describes an initiative called Seas Suas, a programme developed by the Chaplaincy at an Irish university that encourages students to be more aware and observant of challenging issues impacting other students' academic and personal lives and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately. A mixed methods research design was undertaken to assess outcomes from the programme (N = 193). Findings indicate that students showed higher levels of empathy, social responsibility and confidence in helping others after participating in the Seas Suas programme. The implications of the findings for pastoral care in higher education are discussed.

Research suggests that empathy and positive social values are important drivers of youth prosocial and civic action. However, theory and research indicate that young people's civic behaviors are also shaped by their socio-contextual experiences. Drawing on a sample of 533 adolescents from public secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland, this research employed structural equation modeling to examine whether youth's (cognitive and affective) empathy and social responsibility values mediated the relationship between youth's social (parents, peers, school, and community) contexts and their civic behavior. Results suggest that youth's cognitive empathy and social responsibility values appear to mediate the relationship between a number of social-contextual experiences and youth's civic behavior. Overall, the findings from this research have important implications for research and practice.

The changing landscape of higher education and increased prevalence of mental health issues have placed pressure on universities to respond effectively to the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Whilst higher education institutions provide support services to help students who are encountering difficulties, it often falls to fellow students to offer support. However, peers may lack awareness and knowledge about how to intervene or be reluctant to intervene due to the 'bystander effect' that diffuses responsibility for action in group settings. This article describes an initiative called Seas Suas, a programme developed by the Chaplaincy at an Irish university that encourages students to be more aware and observant of challenging issues impacting other students' academic and personal lives and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to respond appropriately. A mixed methods research design was undertaken to assess outcomes from the programme (N = 193). Findings indicate that students showed higher levels of empathy, social responsibility and confidence in helping others after participating in the Seas Suas programme. The implications of the findings for pastoral care in higher education are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Research has indicated that empathy and prosocial responding are associated with numerous emotional, psychological and social benefits. However, although adolescence is recognised as a key period for prosocial development, knowledge about the factors that facilitate the development of empathy and prosocial responding among adolescents is limited. A narrative systematic review was conducted of studies examining the significant social and psychological correlates of empathy and prosocial behaviour in adolescents. Empirical research papers focusing on typically developing adolescents, aged 13-18 years were identified and assessed for quality. Findings from a total of 168 papers were extracted and subjected to a narrative synthesis. Results indicated that a number of different contextual and psychological factors significantly influence the levels of other-oriented (empathy and prosocial) responding expressed by adolescents. However, findings indicate that differential relationships may be observed depending on how empathy and prosocial responding are operationalised. Overall, results from this review have important implications for future research and policy. Highlights • Greater understanding about the development of empathy and prosocial responding during adolescence is warranted • Youth empathy and prosocial behaviour are associated with numerous different social/individual factors. • Greater consistency in how empathy and prosocial behaviour are conceptualised and measured in independent research studies is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]