Root of teen empathy begins with secure relationships at home, study finds
CNN
A new study shows that teenagers who have strong, secure relationships with their parents and families show higher levels of empathy to their friends.
More specifically, when teens feel safe, supported by and connected to parents or other adult caregivers, they are better equipped to pass the empathy they receive on to others. "I don't think teens in particular like being told what to do, and I don't think it's going to work to tell teens they should empathize with other people," said Jessica Stern, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in the department of psychology at the University of Virginia. "But what does work is showing them empathy, and they can pay it forward to the people in their lives."More Related News