The Development of the Existential Empathy Questionnaire

Abstract

Therapist empathy toward existential concerns might be a critical component of clinical practice. This study aims to explore the psychometric properties of the Existential Empathy Questionnaire (EEQ), a self-report instrument developed to measure levels of existential empathy among mental health professionals. The EEQ was completed by a sample of 393 therapists recruited in Belgium, along with measures of general empathy, experiential avoidance, and existential avoidance. To assess the test–retest reliability, 353 participants of the same sample completed the EEQ a second time 2 weeks later. Clinical experience and therapeutic theoretical background were assessed to inform professional characteristics. The results support the use of the EEQ as a unidimensional measure of existential empathy. It demonstrates good internal reliability and temporal stability. A principal components analysis indicates three components with small to moderate intercorrelations, labeled as “Communication,” “Avoidance and Overwhelming Feelings,” and “Resonance and Presence.” EEQ total scores show a moderate positive association with general empathy and a moderate negative association with experiential and existential avoidance. Furthermore, the EEQ significantly uniquely predicts experiential and existential avoidance after controlling for general empathy. Years of clinical practice and a humanistic-oriented therapeutic approach correlated moderately with high EEQ scores.