Examining how emotional state, tolerance and closeness to others mediate the relationship between closeness to families and empathy in Chinese students

Introduction In the unique socio-cultural landscape of contemporary China, there is an ongoing scholarly debate regarding whether traditional demandingness or modern responsiveness—reflected as family closeness—is more conducive to fostering social–emotional skills. This study explores the relationship between closeness to families and empathy among students, specifically focusing on the mediating roles of emotional state, tolerance, and closeness to others. Methods The study employed a structural equation modeling (SEM)-based mediation analysis using data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 2019 Survey on Social and Emotional Skills (SSES). The participants included 3,578 10-year-old students from 76 schools in Suzhou, China. Results The results indicate that closeness to families has significant effects on the empathy of students. Furthermore, this effect is completely mediated by three factors: emotional state, tolerance, and closeness to others. Discussion The findings underscore that in the modern Chinese context, high levels of responsiveness (family closeness) are essential for students to internalize social norms and develop empathic orientations. The study provides explanations for divergences in previous research through the mediation model and multi-group analysis, highlighting the significant impact of social culture and family education on empathy.