Allen E. Ivey postulated three types of empathy. Which trio is correct?

• A. Cognitive, affective, and behavioral.
• B. Empathetic, sympathetic, and apathetic.
• C. Primary, secondary, and tertiary.
• D. Basic, subtractive, and additive.

Answer: (D)

Allen E. Ivey describes three ways a helper can respond to a client’s message: basic empathy, subtractive empathy, and additive empathy. Basic empathy means accurately reflecting and validating what the client is feeling and experiencing, signaling that you understand them. Subtractive empathy happens when the helper misses or distorts parts of the client’s message, effectively erasing important details and leaving the client feeling misunderstood. Additive empathy occurs when the helper adds their own interpretations or information that goes beyond what the client expressed, which can shift the focus away from the client and complicate the communication.

This trio directly matches Ivey’s framework, making it the best choice. The other options describe different concepts or use terms not associated with this empathetic model, so they don’t fit as neatly with Ivey’s threefold approach.