Abstract
ObjectivesThe meta-analysis examined the question of whether empathy training is effective in health care and whether specific training content and methods can be found to account for its effectiveness. MethodsWe included 13 out of 50 studies (total N = 1315) that fulfilled the search criteria. R version 4.0.5 with the esc, meta, metafor, and dmetar packages and SPSS28 were used to conduct the meta-analysis based on the random-effects model. The effect sizes were calculated using Hedge`s g, and heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q. In addition, the multicollinearity of the moderators was checked. ResultsThe overall effect size (Hedge´s g = 0.58, s = 0.10, p = 0.00) indicated a moderate effect of empathy training. There was a significant heterogeneity (I2 = 76.9%, Q = 84.82, p=0.00), thus we examined whether individual training methods have influenced effect sizes, which could not be confirmed (F (8,4) = 0.98, p = 0.55). The same applied to the training contents (F (6,6) = 0.27, p = 0.93). ConclusionsThe present study showed that empathy training could be effective. This confirmed previous findings and supported the use of such training. However, according to our results, no significant moderators could be found, i.e., the training contents or methods did not contribute to the effect sizes. For meaningful findings, a comparison of different training components should definitely be made, and it should be investigated whether empathy training spread over a period of time is more effective and sustainable than one-time training.
Highlights
The meta-analysis examined the question of whether empathy training is effective in health care and whether specific training content and methods can be found to account for its effectiveness
High power can be assumed in study 127 because the study had a high sample number (n = 190); on the other hand, the high effect size of the study (Hedges g = 1.09, s = 0.11) might have resulted from the fact that training content and measures of empathy matched exactly in content
No adequate answer can be given to the question posed in the introduction about what constitutes effective empathy training
Summary
Empathy is the ability to understand and share the internal state of others with the consequence of being able to respond appropriately to it.[1]. Cognitive perspective-taking refers to the ability to understand the thoughts and feelings of a counterpart and predict their behavior and reaction. Between the ages of three and eight, children have only undifferentiated assumptions about the thoughts and motives of other people They do not distinguish between external behavior and internal drives. At this early age, they can already recognize the basic emotions of fear, sadness and joy from facial expressions,[5] but they do not yet distinguish between their own and others' reactions in certain situations. The highest level, according to Selman,[6] is the social-symbolic perspective-taking and describes the recognition that not all motives and emotions can be accessed self-reflexively and relation-ships between people can exist on multiple levels (superficial to deeper ones).[7]. Consideration of age is essential because, when examining empathy training for effectiveness, as described below, there may be significant age differences between trainees and practitioners in medical professions that could influence effect sizes
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