1
|
Watari T, Houchens N, Nishizaki Y, Kataoka K, Otsuka T, Nakano Y, Sakaguchi K, Shiraishi Y, Katayama K, Kataoka H, Tokuda Y. Empathy competence and future specialty among medical residents in Japan: a nationwide cross-sectional study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13742. [PMID: 37612358 PMCID: PMC10447498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41011-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Empathy is essential for physicians to provide patient-centered care. Nevertheless, the degree to which empathy varies among medical residents based on their desired future specialty remains undetermined. This nationwide cross-sectional study compared empathy levels (Jefferson Scale of Empathy, JSE) of 824 year one and two postgraduate residents in Japan by intended medical specialty, individual characteristics, and training and working environment characteristics. Empathy levels were compared with applicants for general medicine, which emphasizes patient-centeredness. The highest mean JSE and the highest percentage of women residents were observed in general medicine (M = 109.74; SD = 14.04), followed by dermatology (M = 106.64; SD = 16.90), obstetrics and gynecology (M = 106.48; SD = 14.31), and pediatrics (106.02; SD 12.18). Residents interested in procedure-centered departments (e.g. ophthalmology, orthopedics) garnered lower JSE scores. Multivariate regression revealed that future general medicine candidates achieved the highest JSE scores ([Formula: see text] = 6.68, 95% CI 2.39-10.9, p = 0.002). Women achieved significantly higher JSE scores than men ([Formula: see text] = 2.42, 95% CI 0.11-4.73, p = 0.041). The results have implications for empathy training and postgraduate education strategy in different clinical specialties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Watari
- General Medicine Center, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo, Shimane, Japan.
- Medicine Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Nathan Houchens
- Medicine Service, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yuji Nishizaki
- Medical Technology Innovation Center, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koshi Kataoka
- Medical Technology Innovation Center, Juntendo University, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoe Otsuka
- Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Yasuhisa Nakano
- Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | - Kota Sakaguchi
- General Medicine Center, Shimane University Hospital, Izumo, Shimane, Japan
| | | | - Kohta Katayama
- Department of Internal Medicine, St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hitomi Kataoka
- Diversity and Inclusion Center, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yasuharu Tokuda
- Muribushi Okinawa Project for Teaching Hospitals, Okinawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bętkowska-Korpała B, Pastuszak-Draxler A, Olszewska-Turek K, Sikora-Zych K, Epa R, Starowicz-Filip A. Personality characteristics of empathy profiles - practical implications for education of medicine students. BMC MEDICAL EDUCATION 2022; 22:376. [PMID: 35578223 PMCID: PMC9112556 DOI: 10.1186/s12909-022-03432-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Empathy plays the key role in the doctor - patient relationship. The research of empathy determinants plays an important role in formulating practical guidelines for the education of medical students. The aim of this study was to analyse personality characteristics of empathy profiles among students of medicine, with consideration of chief personality factors and their subdimensions according to the FFM model. METHODS During workshops in Clinical Psychological Skills, 153 students (M = 57, F = 96; mean age 23 years) analysed their psychological functioning styles by examining their personality profiles and empathy indicators. Empathic Sensitiveness Scale (ESS) and Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) were applied for this purpose. The analyses of empathy indicators were presented by means of cluster analysis. Variance analysis with post hoc Tukey-b test was performed for differences between clusters and to differentiate between personality factors and their components in empathy clusters. This study was approved by the Jagiellonian University Bioethics Committee (approval number: 1072.6120.175.2018 date: 28.06.2018). RESULTS The first cluster included students who presented high empathetic concern for others, understood their perspective and needs characterised by medium level of Neuroticism, high levels of other dimensions The second group included students who could understand others very well, yet with lower tendency to react emotionally to suffering, characterised by medium level of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, high Conscientiousness and low Agreeableness. The third cluster included students who react strongly to painful and unpleasant reactions of others, characterised by high Neuroticism and Agreeableness, low Extraversion. CONCLUSIONS Each empathy profile is manifested in relations with patients in a specific way. Medical education in empathy holds great potential to reduce anxiety, stress, and burnout associated with the medical profession. Discussion of individual results with students, gives an opportunity to talk about how their empathy and personality characteristics may influence their everyday medical practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bętkowska-Korpała
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland.
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University Hospital in Cracow, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland.
| | - Anna Pastuszak-Draxler
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital in Cracow, Kopernika 21a, 31-501, Cracow, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Olszewska-Turek
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University Hospital in Cracow, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
| | - Karolina Sikora-Zych
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
| | - Roksana Epa
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital in Cracow, Kopernika 21a, 31-501, Cracow, Poland
| | - Anna Starowicz-Filip
- Department of Medical Psychology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University Hospital in Cracow, Jakubowskiego 2, 30-688, Cracow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|