Empathy Levels in Albanian Health Professional Students: An Explorative Analysis Using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy

Cristina Petrucci,Loreto Lancia,Angelo Dante,Valeria Caponnetto,Elona Gaxhja,Carmen La Cerra,Vittorio Masotta

doi:10.1177/21582440211032192

Abstract

The study aims were to define the psychometric properties of the Albanian Jefferson Scale of Empathy–Health Professional Students’ version, compare empathy levels among Albanian Health Professional students, and explore any relationship among students’ characteristics and their empathy levels. To achieve these aims, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted. A preliminary exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure of the scale, while group comparisons of empathy scores were examined using t-test and ANOVA F-test. A total of 1,240 students were enrolled in the study. Psychometric properties of the scale were confirmed. Midwifery, physiotherapy, and female students showed higher levels of empathy than other groups. Similarly, third-year students showed higher empathy than first- and second-year students. Monitoring empathy levels is fundamental to the adoption of useful educational strategies by faculties to improve empathy skills in Health Professional students and guarantee better care of patients, especially those in need of psychological support.

Highlights

Empathy is a personality trait defined as the ability to understand the experience and point of view of others and connect with their feelings (Christov-Moore et al, 2014)
Emotional, and behavioral components that can evolve during the Health Professional (HP) students’ educational path and be improved through specific training courses (Cunico et al, 2012; Levett-Jones et al, 2019; van Berkhout & Malouff, 2016)
Due to the possible lack of positive role models, or negative experiences lived in the clinical learning environment, as well as the study workload, the risk of a decline in empathy levels is higher as HP students progress in their educational path (Ferri et al, 2015; Nunes et al, 2011)

Summary

Introduction

Empathy is a personality trait defined as the ability to understand the experience and point of view of others and connect with their feelings (Christov-Moore et al, 2014). Due to the possible lack of positive role models, or negative experiences lived in the clinical learning environment, as well as the study workload, the risk of a decline in empathy levels is higher as HP students progress in their educational path (Ferri et al, 2015; Nunes et al, 2011). This aspect should be taken into greater consideration by the educational institutions. Considering the relevance of empathy in health care settings, monitoring its levels among HP students would allow educational institutions to design study programs aimed at improving students’ empathy skills (Williams, Brown, Boyle, et al, 2014)

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion