STEP INTO MY SHOES: EMPATHY AND SHARED EMOTION IN DEMENTIA-CAREGIVING CONTEXTS - Symposium

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Connor

This symposium focuses on how empathic perspective-taking and shared emotion can strengthen meaningful connections between dementia caregivers and care recipients. Strong emotional ties may facilitate shared decision-making and wellbeing for both parties, even though dementia-related interpersonal and cognitive challenges often strain empathy. The session presents observational and translational studies examining emotion recognition, caregiver affect, shared positive emotion, perspective-taking in spousal care dyads, photo-captioning interventions, and improvisation training, with a synthesis on future clinical and community directions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Symposium overview

Empathy and shared emotion in dementia caregiving

Planned presentations and study approaches

Future directions for clinical and community settings

86 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 SESSION 1275 (SYMPOSIUM) Abstract citation ID: igaf122.286 STEP INTO MY SHOES: EMPATHY AND SHARED EMOTION IN DEMENTIA-CAREGIVING CONTEXTS Chair: Emily Mroz Co-Chair: Jenna Wells Discussant: Carolyn Clevenger Empathic perspective-taking and shared emotion support meaningful connections between caregivers and people living with dementia (i.e., care recipients). Strong connections, in turn, can support shared decision-making and promote wellbeing for both individuals. Yet, empathy and emotional synergy are often strained by interpersonal and cognitive challenges that are common in dementia contexts. To boost investigation into how empathy and shared emotion can develop, and be nurtured, this symposium includes cutting-edge observational and translational research. First, Dr. Brown will present results demonstrating that care recipients’ poor emotion recognition is associated with caregivers’ increased negative affect during interactions. Dr. Wells will complement this by describing findings that behaviorally-coded shared positive emotion in interactions between dementia caregivers and care recipients is associated with better mental health in caregivers. Next, Dr. Huo will describe a mixed-methods examination of the links between perspective-taking and addressing care recipient needs in spousal care dyads. Dr. Mroz will describe a photo captioning intervention that supports dementia-caregiver perspective-taking. She will showcase approaches caregivers can take when engaging in the intervention maximize improvements in perspective-taking. Dr. Kemp will share results from a pilot trial of an improvisation training program for dementia-caregivers. She will share how improvisation training was found to support caregiver empathy. Our discussant, Dr. Clevenger, will synthesize these talks and describe future directions for promoting empathy and shared emotion in clinical and community settings. These presentations Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 87 will showcase empathy and shared emotion as vital, teachable skills that can be supported through accessible behavioral interventions in dementia-care contexts and beyond.

FAQs

How can empathy and shared emotion benefit dementia caregiving relationships?

Empathic perspective-taking and shared emotion can create meaningful connections, which may support shared decision-making and promote wellbeing for both caregivers and people living with dementia.

What is the symposium designed to investigate?

The symposium aims to advance investigation into how empathy and shared emotion develop and can be nurtured in dementia-caregiving contexts.

Which intervention types will be presented?

Presentations include a photo captioning intervention supporting perspective-taking and an improvisation training pilot trial designed to enhance caregiver empathy, along with observational and mixed-methods research approaches.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Connor