Melola Discovery

← Melola Discovery

Open access Journal

Empathy in Early Adulthood: The Role of Big Five Personality Traits and Self-Compassion

Psikoislamedia: Jurnal Psikologi · Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026) · pp. 44–59

DOI
10.22373/psikoislamedia.v11i1.33322
ISSN
2548-4044, 2503-3611
Published
2026-04-26
Publisher
Fakultas Psikologi, Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Ar Raniry Banda Aceh
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

Empathy is a crucial capacity in early adulthood, as it supports interpersonal relationships and mental health. This study examined the effects of Big Five personality traits and self-compassion on empathy, as well as differences in empathy by gender and age. A correlational design was employed with 207 participants aged 18–23 years who were recruited through convenience sampling. The instruments included the Big Five Personality Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Basic Empathy Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, independent-samples t tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that Big Five personality traits and self-compassion jointly predicted empathy. However, only agreeableness and neuroticism were significant individual predictors, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and self-compassion were not statistically significant. Gender comparisons indicated that females scored higher than males on neuroticism and empathy. Age-group analyses revealed significant differences in agreeableness. These findings indicate that empathy in early adulthood is primarily shaped by interpersonal personality characteristics and emotional sensitivity, with gender playing a role, whereas age differences within this range are less influential.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

24 authors · 79 co-authorship links

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Universitas Muhammadiyah Kendari
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Amadela Andra DynalaidaAffiliation unknown2
Dina Desvita Pramesti PutriAffiliation unknown2
Niken Aulia RachmatAffiliation unknown2
Amarru Mutfie HolishAffiliation unknown1
Ridwan ArifinAffiliation unknown1
Waspiah WaspiahAffiliation unknown1
Heni RosidaAffiliation unknown1
Indah MaryaniAffiliation unknown1
Mikha DetalimAffiliation unknown1
Murniati MurniatiUniversitas Muhammadiyah Kendari1
Asrul AsrulAffiliation unknown1
Anuar RamutAffiliation unknown1
Leo Vrand ApalonAffiliation unknown1
Barita SibueaAffiliation unknown1
Juandi Sasmitro MahaAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/Psikoislam/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
<oai_dc:dc xmlns="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/  http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd">
	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Empathy in Early Adulthood: The Role of Big Five Personality Traits and Self-Compassion</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en"> Ahmad, Miqdad Daly</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Nurmaulida, Diah Liandary</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Maharani, Aulia </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Najaa, Maysaroh Azmia Ummi </dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Abbas, A. Annisa Alifah</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Assabil, Vibby Sawa</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Pambudi, Fitrah Metta Rilo</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Zenitha, Rizka Aulia</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">S., Mahardika Hizbullah A.</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">empathy</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Big Five Personality</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">self-compassion</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">early adulthood</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">gender differences</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">age differences</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Empathy is a crucial capacity in early adulthood, as it supports interpersonal relationships and mental health. This study examined the effects of Big Five personality traits and self-compassion on empathy, as well as differences in empathy by gender and age. A correlational design was employed with 207 participants aged 18–23 years who were recruited through convenience sampling. The instruments included the Big Five Personality Scale, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Basic Empathy Scale. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, independent-samples t tests, and one-way ANOVA. The results showed that Big Five personality traits and self-compassion jointly predicted empathy. However, only agreeableness and neuroticism were significant individual predictors, whereas extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and self-compassion were not statistically significant. Gender comparisons indicated that females scored higher than males on neuroticism and empathy. Age-group analyses revealed significant differences in agreeableness. These findings indicate that empathy in early adulthood is primarily shaped by interpersonal personality characteristics and emotional sensitivity, with gender playing a role, whereas age differences within this range are less influential.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Fakultas Psikologi, Universitas Islam Negeri (UIN) Ar Raniry Banda Aceh</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2026-04-26</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/Psikoislam/article/view/33322</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.22373/psikoislamedia.v11i1.33322</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Psikoislamedia: Jurnal Psikologi; Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): PSIKOISLAMEDIA: JURNAL PSIKOLOGI; 44-59</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2548-4044</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2503-3611</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://jurnal.ar-raniry.ac.id/index.php/Psikoislam/article/view/33322/12793</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2026 Miqdad Daly  Ahmad, Diah Liandary Nurmaulida, Aulia  Maharani, Maysaroh Azmia Ummi  Najaa, A. Annisa Alifah Abbas, Vibby Sawa Assabil, Fitrah Metta Rilo Pambudi, Rizka Aulia Zenitha, Mahardika Hizbullah A. S.</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>