Vural, Bilgin KirayKorukcu, OzlemAral, NerimanKorukcu, Gokhan2025-03-232025-03-2320141877-0428https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.427https://hdl.handle.net/11486/60485th World Conference on Psychology, Counseling and Guidance (WCPCG) -- MAY 01-03, 2014 -- Dubrovnik, CROATIAObjectives, empathy brings people closer and facilitates communication in almost all the fields of daily life. Having been an important dimension of foster care, empathetic skills should be developed in a foster family. In this study, we aimed to determine the empathic level of the foster families. Methods, this cross-sectional study on foster families was performed in Turkey. Research data were collected from 124 fosters parents. Two instruments were used in the survey: the personal information form and the Basic Empathy Scale. The volunteers were chosen by applying a non-probability sampling method, i.e. the snowball method. The data were analyzed by using SPSS statistical software, Version 18.0. Results, The foster parents had a mean age of 48.37 +/- 9.36. Most of foster carers (89.5%) were married. 76.6% of foster families had their own biological child, among them, 29.5% had one, 54.7% had two, and 15.8% had three children. The percentage of foster families that preferred female, and male children, were 76.6%, and 23.4%, respectively. Among the children, who had been placed in foster parent households, 42.7% aged less than 3 years, 31.5% between 4-6 years, and 25.8% more than 7 years. The ratio of parents, who defined foster family concept as social responsibility, protection, ownage, and charity were 76.6%, 71.1%, 58.1%, and 45.2%, respectively. The ratio of those, who thought that to be a foster carer matured a person, was 62.9%, whereas the ratio of those, who emphasized that they became role model for their environment, was 77.4%. The subjects were asked to empathize with the relevant biological families, and that 59.7% gave first priority to I want to be sure about my child's safety, 29.8% to I want to be sure that my child is in good hands, 7.3% to I want to see that my child is valued. Also 56.5% of foster families pointed out that they were disturbed by the idea that one they the child might be sent back to his/her biological family. General Cronbach's alpha co-efficient of the instrument was found to be.76. The cognitive empathy of sub-factors was found to be .78, and the emotional empathy of the sub-factors was .62. Basic Empathy Scale average points were 71.5 +/- 9.76 in the parents. The mean cognitive empathy was 34.49 +/- 5.79, and the mean emotional empathy was 37.03 +/- 6.08. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessFoster familyFoster childrenEmpathyConference Object15957057610.1016/j.sbspro.2014.12.427N/AWOS:000360314800110N/A