Empathy for pain processing in individuals with elevated internet addiction scores: an event-related potential study

Abstract This study aimed to comprehensively elucidate patterns of empathy impairment using self-report, performance-based, and electrophysiological measures, alongside two cognitive measures, in individuals with elevated internet addiction (IA) scores (HIA, n = 20) compared to those with lower scores (LIA, n = 20). Empathy was assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and the Multifaceted Empathy Test. Participants also completed a task showing pictures of painful and non-painful stimuli, requiring ratings from the self and a stranger perspective. No significant group differences were found in self-report and performance-based measures, or during the task. N2, P2, and P3 components were identified in the electrophysiological recordings. Only in the LIA group, larger P3 amplitudes during the “self” compared to the “stranger” block, and longer N2 latencies for painful relative to non-painful stimuli were observed. No other differences were found in terms of amplitudes or latencies, but specific correlations between empathy and both IA scores and cognitive measures emerged in the HIA group only. The results suggest that electrophysiological processing of empathy-related stimuli in individuals with elevated IA scores is altered for self- vs. other-related and painful vs. non-painful empathic stimulation, reflected in P3 amplitudes and N2 latencies, respectively. In this group, empathy seems related to cognitive functioning.