Empathy Deficit Disorder: A lack of Connection and Understanding

Empathy is a fundamental ability to connect and communicate with others. However, empathy is not universally distributed at birth. We all start with individual capacities for experiencing and expressing empathy. Our lives begin different and then life experience enhances our minimizes our innate abilities to empathize with others. We know this developmental process as epigenetics. Some people are “unable to step outside themselves and tune in to what other people experience” (LaBier, 2007). this especially applies to those who feel, think and believe differently from themselves.

In conditions where an individual is unable to experience empathy, some psychologists have given it a diagnosis of empathy deficit disorder.

Introduction: What is Empathy Deficit Disorder?

Douglas LaBier coined the term empathy deficit disorder. It is not a legitimate diagnosis that we can find in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. LaBier discovered a common grouping of symptoms pertaining to lack of empathy and grouped them together in a class he refers to as empathy deficit disorder. He routinely encountered individuals suffering from deficits of empathy during in his decades long career as a business psychologist, psychotherapist and researchers. He feels that “empathy deficit disorder is a pervasive but overlooked condition” (LaBier, 2010).

Perpetual Cycles of Empathy Deficit

Sadly, empathy deficits are self perpetuating. Hence, they can be life destroying. A person with moderate empathy deficits may struggle to build relationships, experiencing multiple relationships failures, the failures lead to greater anxiety and isolation. However, relationships are necessary to nurture and develop empathy. Thus a person with empathy deficit disorder may end up in a cycle of interaction that deters empathy development, creating greater isolation. In psychology, we refer to this as reciprocal determinism.

Robert Augustus Masters, Ph.D., wrote:

“The capacity to feel or emotionally resonate with what others are feeling—known as empathy—is essential to emotional intimacy. Without it we remain isolated from others, cut off from any sort of intimacy” (Masters, 2013).

Perpetual disorders create a barrier that is difficult to free ourselves from.

Signs of Empathy Deficit Disorder

We exhibit low empathy through a variety of behaviors. When conducting self-appraisals we should objectively look for the obvious signs of empathy deficit. Some of these may include:

• difficulty making new friends.
• inability to maintain emotional connections.
• Quick to criticize others or dismiss others.
• Inability to contemplate different points of view
• lack of appreciation for others.
• Joy in causing pain
• No patience for listening to others.
• Quick to externalize and blame.
• failure to take personal responsibility.
• Jealous of other people’s successes.

*List adapted from Minddiagnostics article

Causes Empathy Deficit Disorder

Most psychological disorders begin at a cellular level. This does not mean, however, that we are destined to be a certain way or cannot implement changes. For several decades, scientists pinpointed the mirror neuron as the brain center for empathy. Sue Johnson wrote that the “mirror neurons allow us to see emotion expressed by another and feel this emotion within our own body” (Johnson, 2008). The expanding discoveries of brain science partially discredits the mirror neuron theory, believing empathy functions from a much greater brain network than a single geographical location.

Kerrin Jacobs describes empathy as a neural process. He wrote that empathetic processes are “grounded in dissociable neural systems” (Jacobs, 2022). Infants quickly develop behaviors that indicate a theory of mind. They conceptualize the affective experience of others separate from themselves. Jacobs states that for us to experience empathy we must have the “ability to monitor oneself and to maintain and regulate self-other awareness in order to differentiate between one’s own and others’ experiences.” These are abilities based in brain structures.

Environmental Causes

Masters explains that while empathy deficits may have biological beginnings, we still can enhance or diminish empathy.

He wrote:

“Our capacity for empathic arousal appears to be innate, but it can be suppressed or derailed through certain conditions, such as abusive or traumatic early-life circumstances. Yet whatever obstructs our empathy can, at least in most cases, be rendered permeable enough to allow us to reconnect with our empathic abilities” (Masters, 2013).

Barbara Ehrenreich suggests that there is a general loss of empathy in our society.

She warns:

“In the world of positive thinking, other people are not there to be nurtured or to provide unwelcome reality checks. They are there only to nourish, praise, and affirm. Harsh as this dictum sounds, many ordinary people adopt it as their creed, displaying wall plaques or bumper stickers showing the word ‘Whining’ with a cancel sign through it. There seems to be a massive empathy deficit, which people respond to by withdrawing their own. No one has the time or patience for anyone else’s problems” (Ehrenreich, 2009).

Why is Empathy Important?

Empathy is the foundational skill for building relationships. It is a key ingredient for emotional attunement, compassion, and kindness. When we have empathy deficits, we struggle to bond. Intimate relationships elude healthy bonding efforts and the sufferer typically defaults to broken and maladaptive strategies to maintain relationships. These strategies include manipulation, abuse, and deception.

Masters wrote:

“Without a significant degree of empathetic attunement, our dialogue can easily degenerate into enervating argument, prolonged withdrawal, or heart-crushing distancing, in which what we are actually feeling becomes secondary to our interpretations of (and debates about) what is going on. Without empathy, there is no intimacy” (Masters, 2013).

Sue Johnson gracefully adds:

“What it means for lovers is that there is a tangible power in actually looking at each other. It helps us be emotionally present and pick up on our partner’s nonverbal cues. This creates a level of engagement and empathy that is lost in a less direct conversation” (Johnson, 2008).

Beyond intimate relationships, empathy helps us connect with the larger whole.

LaBier wrote:

“From empathy, tolerance grows. Tolerance of differences is an important part of the foundation for healthy emotional and mental attitudes and behavior. By focusing on developing empathy, you can deepen your understanding and acceptance of how and why people do what they do, and build respect for others” (LaBier, 2007).

Perhaps, with more empathy, the world would be a much better place.

Can We Increase Our Capacity for Empathy?

A staple of our human existence is consciousness. Consciousness performs skills such as focusing attention. Where we focus attention directly influences learning. Our attention then is essential for development of new skills, creating and strengthening neural connections in our brains. We know this as neuroplasticity. We can change our brains. Hence, we can improve our capacity for empathy.

Masters wrote, “If we score low in empathy, we need to do more than just say that’s the way we are; it’s important to realize that we’re not doomed to occupy the lower rungs of empathetic capacity” (Masters, 2013).

How Do We Increase Empathy?

As mentioned in the previous section, a key behavior for increasing empathy is focusing attention. For some, finding even a sliver of acknowledgment of others is tremendously difficult. In diagnosable disorders, often they don’t even see a need to identify with others. This is why so many of the personality disorders are amazingly resistant to change. the narcissist and psychopath cannot fathom a reason to start considering others’ feelings.

However, for the rest of us, with a glimmer of hope to change, we can direct attention to the emotional experience of others. Master’s wrote that visualizing ourselves “in an unliked other’s shoes or doing meditative practices centered by wishing others well—will deepen our capacity for empathy” (Masters, 2013).

LaBier suggests the difficult practice of holding two opposing ideas in our head at the same time. He explains:

“Immerse yourself in your partner’s perceptions of you. Try to experience them fully. At the same time, hold on to your own views. Don’t let either negate the other” (LaBier, 2007).

Another way to increase empathy is to actively work to build new relationships. Sometimes in old relationships, we get stuck in ruts. A new friend may help us establish new interaction routines where we can practice and grow empathy.

Lastly, mindfulness practice is a proven method for discovering hidden emotions in ourselves and others. Masters wrote:

“Because the more we are in touch with our emotions, the more in touch we’ll likely be with the emotions of others—which greatly increases the likelihood that we’ll have a relatively high level of empathy for them” (Masters, 2013).

Associated Concepts

• Types of Empathy: EDD relates to the three different types of empathy: affective empathy (feeling others’ emotions), cognitive empathy (understanding others’ emotions), and compassionate empathy (acting on others’ emotions).
• Hyper-Empathy Syndrome: This is the opposite of EDD, where individuals feel excessive empathy, leading to personal distress and potential anxiety disorders.
• Psychiatric Conditions: EDD is often discussed in relation to psychiatric disorders that feature empathy deficits, such as psychopathy/antisocial personality disorders, borderline and narcissistic personality disorders, autistic spectrum disorders, and alexithymia.
• Social Psychology: The study of empathy within social psychology examines how empathy influences social behavior and interpersonal relationships.
• Cognitive Neuroscience: This field explores the neural mechanisms underlying empathy and how dysfunction in these systems can lead to disorders like EDD.
• Clinical Neuropsychology: It investigates how brain injuries and neurological disorders affect the capacity for empathy.

A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic

In the realm of human experience, empathy stands as a cornerstone of social interaction and emotional understanding. As we conclude our examination of Empathy Deficit Disorder (EDD), we are reminded of the profound impact that empathy, or the lack thereof, can have on individuals and society at large.

EDD challenges us to consider the intricate web of cognitive and affective processes that enable us to connect with others. It invites us to reflect on the importance of nurturing this fundamental capacity, to foster a world where understanding and compassion are not in short supply.

Let this article serve as a call to action for researchers, clinicians, and educators alike to delve deeper into the enigma of empathy. May we strive to bridge the gaps in our collective understanding and seek out innovative approaches to ameliorate the effects of EDD. Through continued study and empathetic engagement, we can hope to unlock the potential for healing and growth, ensuring that empathy remains a vibrant thread in the fabric of human connection.

Last Update: January 30, 2026

References:

Ehrenreich, Barbara. (2009) Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America. Henry Holt and Co.ISBN-10: 0805087494
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Jacobs, Kerrin (2022). The concept of Narcissistic Personality Disorder–Three levels of analysis for interdisciplinary integration. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.989171
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Johnson, Susan M. (2008). Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. Basic Books; First Edition. ISBN-13: 9780316113007
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LaBier, Douglas (2007). Empathy: Could It Be What You’re Missing? Center for Progressive Development. Published: 12-25-2007; Retrieved: 5-15-2023. Website: https://www.centerprogressive.org/310-2/
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LaBier, Douglas (2010). Are You Suffering From Empathy Deficit Disorder? Psychology Today. Published: 4-12-2010; Retrieved: 5-15-2023. Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-new-resilience/201004/are-you-suffering-from-empathy-deficit-disorder
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Lee, J., Son, J., Kim, S., Kim, J., Chung, S., Ghim, H., Lee, S., Shin, C., & Ju, G. (2021). Disrupted Association Between Empathy and Brain Structure in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 32(4), 129-136. DOI: 10.5765/jkacap.210009
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Masters, Robert Augustus (2013). Emotional Intimacy: A Comprehensive Guide for Connecting with the Power of Your Emotions. Macmillan Publishers. ISBN: 9781683648321
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Soderstrom, Henrik (2003). Psychopathy as a disorder of empathy. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 12(5), 249-252. DOI: 10.1007/s00787-003-0338-y
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