研究采用人際反應指數量表(修訂版)和父母教養能力感量表,選取650名中小學生為研究對象,考察了二胎出生對頭胎兒童共情能力的影響,并探討了父母教養能力感在二胎出生與頭胎兒童共情能力關系中的調節作用。研究發現:(1)二胎家庭中頭胎兒童的共情能力高于獨生兒童的共情能力。(2)父母教養能力感能夠調節二胎出生與頭胎兒童共情能力的關系:對于父母教養能力感高的群體而言,二胎出生對頭胎兒童共情能力的發展沒有影響;對于父母教養能力感低的群體而言,頭胎兒童的共情能力比獨生兒童的高。因此,二胎出生能夠促進頭胎兒童共情能力的發展,且二胎出生對頭胎兒童共情能力的影響受父母教養能力感的調節。

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the birth of the second child on the empathy ability of the first child. We also studied the moderating effect of parenting sense of competence. We selected 650 primary and middle school students as samples and used the Interpersonal Reactivity Index(Revised Edition) and the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale. The study found that: 1) The empathy ability of the first child in the two children family was higher than the empathy ability of those who are the only child of the family. 2) The parenting sense of competence could regulate the relationship between having the second child and the first child’s empathy ability, that is, for the group with high parenting sense of competence, the birth of the second child had no effect on the development of the empathy ability of the first child; for the group with low parenting sense of competence, the empathy ability of the first child was higher than the empathy ability of those who are the only child of the family. In conclusion, the birth of the second child can promote the development of the empathy ability of the first child, which is modulated by the parenting sense of competence.