Modifying Empathic Disequilibrium Through a Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Training
Ido Shalev, Emily Hayun, Alal Eran, Florina Uzefovsky
PsyArXiv June 16, 2026 preprint DOI: 10.31234/osf.io/zn3jy_v2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 157 |
| Population | Psychology students |
| Intervention | emotion regulation lessons |
| Dose | 10 minutes daily |
| Duration | 10 days |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Ten days of daily 10-minute guided mindfulness training reduced both forms of empathic disequilibrium relative to a control group receiving emotion regulation lessons and daily mood ratings. Emotional reactivity also decreased, but contrary to the authors' hypothesis, changes in reactivity did not mediate the reduction in empathic disequilibrium, suggesting other mechanisms sustain this interpersonal imbalance. |
Abstract
Whether a person feels overwhelmed by others' emotions or remains detached from them may depend not on how much empathy they have, but on the balance between the cognitive and emotional components of empathy. An imbalance between emotional and cognitive empathy, termed empathic disequilibrium, has consistently distinguished clinical from non-clinical groups across a range of conditions, independent of overall empathy levels. Given these links, empathic disequilibrium may be experienced by some as distressing, yet whether it is malleable and what mechanisms may underlie such change remains untested. Building on the view that empathic disequilibrium acts as a form of emotion dysregulation in interpersonal contexts, and on its links to emotional reactivity, this study tested whether a brief mindfulness intervention can modify empathic disequilibrium. A total of 157 psychology students were assigned to ten days of daily, 10 minute guided mindfulness training (n = 89) or to a control group involving emotion regulation lessons and daily mood ratings (n = 68). Empathic disequilibrium and emotional reactivity were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using validated self-report measures. Compared with the control group, mindfulness training reduced both forms of empathic disequilibrium. Contrary to our hypothesis, this reduction was not mediated by changes in emotional reactivity, even though reactivity itself decreased. Complementary Bayesian and propensity-score sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of these effects. These findings provide the first evidence that empathic disequilibrium is modifiable in the general population, and suggest that mechanisms beyond emotional reactivity sustain this interpersonal imbalance.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |