Two Sides of the Same Coin: Uncovering Differential Roles of Cognitive and Affective Empathy in Adolescent Multidimensional Well-Being Network

While empathy is traditionally championed as a cornerstone of positive psychological functioning, its structural role within multidimensional well-being systems remains surprisingly paradoxical. This research applied network analysis within the Well-Being Profile (WB-Pro) framework to elucidate the distinct dynamics of cognitive and affective empathy among adolescents. Study 1 ( N  = 2,201, M _age = 12.07, SD  = 3.01) revealed a cross-sectional paradox: while general empathy strongly correlated with prosocial behavior, it was negatively associated with self-acceptance, optimism, and positive emotions. To resolve this, Study 2 ( N  = 587, M _age = 14.74, SD  = 2.73) utilized a six-month longitudinal cross-lagged panel network analysis to disentangle the two subtypes, revealing a stark functional divergence. Cognitive empathy emerged as a consistently adaptive capacity, predicting broad improvements within the well-being network, most notably in prosocial behavior and resilience. Conversely, affective empathy functioned as a systemic vulnerability. Despite being positively predicted by early prosocial behavior, it failed to generate subsequent adaptive outcomes; instead, it undermined interpersonal well-being (e.g., positive relationships), eroded intrapersonal well-being (e.g., self-acceptance), and impaired adaptive functioning (e.g., resilience) over time. These findings challenge the global endorsement of empathy in positive psychology, indicating that the path to flourishing requires not merely feeling with others, but the capacity to understand them while maintaining self-integrity, offering a precise, structurally targeted approach to cultivate well-being.