The current study examined the roles of gender, and gender-role orientation in young adolescents’ empathetic concern. In addition, this study aimed to explore the contribution of Theory of Mind in participants’ empathetic concern. Finally, this study examined whether gender and gender-role orientation were implicated in emerging adolescents’ Theory of Mind understanding. One-hundred-fifty 11- to 12-year-olds (79 self-identified females) completed questionnaires measuring their empathetic concern, Theory of Mind, and their perceived gender-role orientation. Results showed that gender-role orientation, specifically, femininity and masculinity predicted empathetic concern above and beyond gender. In addition, the effects of cognitive and affective Theory of Mind are explored and discussed in relation to empathetic concern. Finally, neither gender nor gender-role orientation was found to contribute to participants’ Theory of Mind understanding. These findings suggest that emerging adolescents’ perceived gender roles, as well as their ability to consider another’s beliefs, play a role in their expression of empathetic concern.

当前的研究探讨了性别的作用以及性别角色取向在青少年移情关注中的作用。此外，本研究旨在探讨心理理论在参与者共情关注中的贡献。最后，本研究探讨了性别和性别角色取向是否与新兴青少年的心理理论理解有关。150 名 11 至 12 岁的孩子（79 名自我认同为女性）完成了问卷调查，衡量他们的同理心、心理理论以及他们所感知的性别角色取向。结果表明，性别角色取向，特别是女性气质和男性气质，可以预测超越性别的同理心关注。此外，还探讨和讨论了与移情关注相关的认知和情感心理理论的影响。最后，我们发现性别和性别角色取向都无助于参与者对心理理论的理解。这些发现表明，新兴青少年感知的性别角色以及考虑他人信仰的能力在他们表达同理心方面发挥着作用。