Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether empathy components, measured via the Multifaceted Empathy Test (MET), can predict the diverse dimensions of interpersonal reactivity assessed by the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI).
Method: A sample of 92 Iranian adults (Mage = 26.7, SD = 3.98; 75% female) completed the MET and the IRI. Four simultaneous multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to predict IRI dimensions (perspective taking, fantasy, empathic concern, and personal distress) from cognitive empathy, positive affective empathy, and negative affective empathy scores derived from the MET.
Results: The regression model for Empathic Concern was statistically significant (F = 2.94, p = .037, R2 = 0.091), driven by a shared, combined predictive effect among empathy components rather than standalone predictors. For perspective taking, the overall model was marginally significant (F = 2.64, p = .054, R2 = .083), with cognitive empathy emerging as a significant positive predictor (𝛽 = .256, p = .015). In the non-significant fantasy model (F = 1.47, p = .228), positive affective empathy acted as a significant negative individual predictor (𝛽 = -.269, p = .045). The personal distress model was not significant (F = 1.05, p = .373).
Conclusion: The results suggest that these relationships may vary across different dimensions of interpersonal functioning and should be interpreted with caution.