Adolescents’ social emotional health and empathy in Lithuanian sample

Abstract

Background. Non-decreasing extent of bullying, increasing rates of various dependencies and suicides, high level of adolescents' behavioural and emotional problems are observed in Lithuanian schools at present. Academic literature sources have revealed that adolescents' mental health is mainly researched from the deficit-oriented perspective, i.e. factors under research are related to various impairments, encountered difficulties or their risk. It is particularly important to conduct research on the positive adolescent development, its strengths, emotional and social areas of health that can be developed. The present research emphasizes a positive development of youth and social emotional aspects of such development. Aim. To investigate differences in adolescents' social and emotional health and empathy by age and gender in the Lithuanian sample. Method. Social and Emotional Health Survey (Furlong et al., 2014) and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) (Davis, 1980). The sample: 600 adolescents (12-18 year olds) from various Lithuanian schools. Research results and conclusions. The scores of SEHS-S scales of belief-in-self and engaged living are statistically significantly higher in the group of junior adolescents (12-15 year olds) and those of empathy (IRI) are higher among senior adolescents (16-18 year olds); significantly higher scores of empathy scales are observed in the group of girls compared to boys. The results of the conducted research contribute to the development of expression of school learners' social and emotional health and empathy.