Escala da disposição empática com a natureza : adaptação e validação ao contexto brasileiro

Abstract

Concern for the environment has been the subject of several debates in the global context, as the increasing level of degradation requires measures aimed at mitigating the impacts of human actions on nature. In this scenario, empathy with nature has been considered as a possibility in conservation and preservation efforts. However, systematic research on empathy with nature is still quite scarce, with few tools that measure this relationship; Thus, based on the need to research ways of understanding the relationship between human beings and nature, the present research aimed to adapt and seek evidence of validity for the Dispositional Empathy with Nature Scale – DENS, translated as Escala da Disposição Empática com a Natureza - EDEN. The research was developed in two studies with the purpose of seeking evidence of validity through Exploratory Factor Analysis and confirmation of this evidence through Confirmatory Factor Analysis. In total, 524 people, of both sexes, aged between 18 and 75 years, participated in the two studies. In Study 1, 239 people participated, with an average age of 35,81 years (SD = 13,03) and predominantly female (57,7%). Participants responded to sociodemographic questions, the EDEN, the Relationship with Nature Scale, the Environmental Concern Scale and two factors of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. The results obtained supported the model with a general factor of empathy with animals and a general factor of empathy with plants, in addition, internal reliability indexes greater than 0,90 were found. In Study 2, 245 people participated with an average age of 42,30 years (SD=13,96), the majority of whom were female (64,5%), who responded to the EDEN, the sociodemographic questionnaire and the Environmental Concerns Scale. In addition to the good fit indices for the two-factor factorial structure, correlations between the EDEN and the other scales of the study were found. It is concluded that EDEN presented good evidence indicators in Brazil.