Investigating Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Empathy Questionnaire for Hearing and Deaf Pre-school Children

The aim of the present research was to investigate of the psychometric properties of Empathy Questionnaire (EmQue) for hearing and deaf pre-school children.

This study was a descriptive research and psychometric type. Translation and translation-back was used to prepare the Persian version of EmQue. The statistical population of the study were educators of hearing and deaf pre-school children in Tehran city in 2020-2021 academic year. The sample consisted of two groups of 270 educators of pre-school children (160 and 110 educators of hearing and deaf children in each group, respectively) who were selected simple random sampling method. The viewpoints of 8 experts were obtained to evaluate the questionnaire’s face and content validity. The Lawashe method and the Waltz & Bausell method were used to calculate content validity index. Construct validity was analyzed using factor analysis. The reliability of scale was calculate using Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest.

The EmQue was translated into nineteen items and three subscales with a set of three answer choices for each item. Based on the results of exploratory factor analysis, three factors were extracted. The results of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor model had a good fitness and confirmed its construct validity. Content validity index was 0/94, 0/96, 0/93 and 0/94 for the EmQue and each of subscales of emotion contagion, attention to others’ feelings, and prosocial actions, respectively. The reliability for the EmQue and each of its subscales using Cronbach’s alpha was 0/93, 0/94, 0/90 and 0/92, respectively. Also, reliability was calculated by test-retest method was 0/92, 0/91, 0/88 and 0/89. The results of convergent and divergent validity between the EmQue through its simultaneous implementation with the Social-Emotional Assets and Resilience Scale (SEARS) and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) reviewed, the correlation was a moderate to a strong and ranged from 0.47 to 0.74.

The EmQue is a valid and reliable tool and it can be used for assessing the empathy of hearing and deaf pre-school children in Iran.