Teens with secure family relationships 'pay it forward' with empathy for friends

Teens' ability to empathize—to understand others' perspectives and emotions, and to care for their wellbeing—is an important contributor to their relationships, including with friends. Prior research shows that teens who have more secure family relationships report higher levels of empathy for others. But little research examines whether teens with more secure family relationships actually show greater empathy when observed in real-life interactions with peers, or whether their empathic capacities show different patterns of growth over time.