Investigating the reliability and validity of the Multidimensional Emotional Empathy Scale

The aim of the present study was to investigate the reliability and validity of the Multidimensional Emotional Empathy Scale (MDEES). Using a sample of British young people, we investigated the reliability of the scale, as well as the convergent and divergent validity with standardized measures of IQ and working memory. There was good internal consistency between the items in each subscale. With respect to validity, only the Emotional Suffering and Positive Sharing subscales were significantly related to verbal IQ; no other MDEES subscales were significantly associated with nonverbal IQ or working memory. The findings also suggest that the MDEES is a reliable and valid measure of emotional empathy and captures skills distinct from IQ and working memory.