Email this article Unpacking the Pedagogical Mechanisms of Storytelling for Empathy Development in Early Childhood: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review
), Farida Kurniawati(2)
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(1) Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
(2) Faculty of Psychology, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
Corresponding Author
This systematic literature review synthesizes empirical evidence on how different storytelling modalities, traditional oral storytelling, picture books, drama-based storytelling, digital storytelling, and multisensory approaches support empathy development in children aged 0-8 years. The review maps intervention designs, identifies targeted empathy dimensions, and examines underlying pedagogical mechanisms. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic search was conducted across four academic databases (Taylor & Francis Online, ProQuest, Scopus, and ScienceDirect). Eight peer-reviewed empirical studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed using descriptive and thematic synthesis. Storytelling interventions were generally associated with improvements in emotion recognition, perspective-taking, and prosocial tendencies, with stronger effects observed in interactive, moral, and culturally grounded storytelling. Digital and multisensory approaches showed potential to enhance emotional engagement, although evidence remains limited. Storytelling is a developmentally appropriate and promising approach for fostering empathy in early childhood. However, findings should be interpreted cautiously due to methodological heterogeneity. Further longitudinal and rigorously controlled research is needed.
Keywords: storytelling, empathy, early childhood, social emotional learning.
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