Empathy Levels Of Students Research Articles

Evaluation of empathy levels of dentistry students in pediatric dentistry clinical practice education process.

The objective of this study was to assess the empathy levels of dental students during their clinical practice training in pediatric dentistry and to evaluate various factors that influence changes in these empathy levels. The study evaluated the empathy levels of a total of 350 students (70 third-year, 140 fourth-year, and 140 fifth-year dental students) who received pediatric dentistry clinical practice training and/or observation between October 2022 and December 2023. The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version was used to assess empathy levels before and after the training. The data were subjected to statistical analysis using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon test, and Dunn Test (p<0.05). The response rate of the participants was 92.10%. The highest empathy level was observed in third-year students, while the lowest empathy level was observed in fifth-year students. A statistically significant relationship was found between these two variables (p<0.001). Additionally, the empathy level of female students was statistically significantly higher than that of male students (p<0.001). Following the completion of the pediatric dentistry training, a statistically significant increase was observed in the empathy levels of the students in comparison to the baseline (p<0.001). Empathy levels in students are found to be correlated with academic year, sibling count, and gender. It is of paramount importance to enhance empathy skills through training in order to foster the development of human-oriented physicians capable of effective patient communication.

Levels of Empathy in Students and Professors with Patients in a Faculty of Dentistry.

Empathy is an attribute that plays an essential role in the dentist-patient therapeutic relationship, clinical care, and treatment adherence, along with providing other benefits. The main objective of this research was to establish the validity, reliability, and invariance of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and then characterize the empathy levels of students and teachers at a dental school. An observational and cross-sectional study analyzed a sample of undergraduate students and professors from the Universidad Andrés Bello Faculty of Dentistry (Chile) (n = 1727 and n = 267, respectively). The Empathy Scale for Health Professionals (HP) and the same scale for students (HPS) were applied. The Jefferson Empathy Scale presents adequate psychometric properties. The empathy measure has adequate reliability and construct validity, confirming a fit of the three-factor empathy model to the data. The measurement is invariant within the university campus, the sex of the student, and between teacher and student. Teachers present greater empathy than students except in the Perspective Adoption dimension. The Jefferson Empathy Scale is reliable, valid, and invariant among Chilean dental students and professors. Students do not differ from their professors in the cognitive component of empathy, but they present a lower score in the affective component and global empathy. It is inferred that students can develop the affective component of empathy in their interactions with their professors, increasing their overall empathy. Understanding and fostering empathy in dental students and professors can significantly improve patient care and treatment adherence and increase patient and dentist satisfaction.

The integrated curriculum and student empathy: a longitudinal multi-cohort analysis

Research has demonstrated erosion of empathy in students during medical education. Particularly, U.S. studies have demonstrated empathy declines during clinical training in the third and fourth year of traditional medical programs. Yet, studies conducted outside the U.S. have not confirmed this trend. Timing and extent of patient interactions have been identified as empathy-protective factors. The need to examine empathy within different learning contexts has been noted, as has the need for longitudinal and time-series research designs to analyze trajectories. Between fall 2010 and spring 2019, we assessed empathy longitudinally among six student cohorts (N = 493) at a U.S. medical school, where patient interaction occurs early and throughout an integrated curriculum. Empathy levels of students in each cohort were assessed at five time points utilizing the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student version. We hypothesized empathy levels will not degrade by program end, and trajectories will not show patterns of decline in Years Three and Four. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Linear Mixed Model (LMM) analyses were used to analyze differences at baseline and changes in empathy trajectories. ANOVA analyses revealed statistically significant differences at baseline by class cohort (F(5, 487) = [23.28], p < 0.001). LMM analyses indicated empathy was either significantly higher or not different at the end of the program (F(19, 1676) = [13.97], p < 0.001). Empathy trajectories varied among cohorts; yet, none resulted in an overall empathy decline by the end of the program. Findings demonstrate empathy in U.S. medical students can be unchanged or higher by the end of medical education. Outcomes are consistent with reports of non-declining medical student empathy outside the U.S. and support the notion of context-specificity. Results further support recent research, suggesting decreases in empathy during training can stabilize or increase by program end. These findings have important implications for future empathy research context and design considerations, as well as program planning.

Changes in the empathy levels of a group of undergraduate medical students: A longitudinal study

Background. The concept of empathy in students has gained significant attention in medical education. Whether implementing formal educational interventions to promote long-term and effective empathy levels leads to sustained increased empathy levels in students, is however less clear. Objectives. The study aimed to evaluate the trajectory of medical students’ self-perceived empathy levels during their 6-year MB ChB degree. Methods. A longitudinal, prospective study was conducted over 4 years. A cohort of 292 medical students was invited to participate. Participants completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Students (JSE-S) at three intervals during their studies. The students attended two workshops related to empathic patient interactions during this time. The JSE-S mean score by age and gender was compared, making use of a linear regression model. Results. A total of 119 students completed the study. Students’ total empathy levels were similar during the first and the last measuring point (110), but there was a significant rise in the intermediate measuring point (113.3). When the male and female cohorts’ scores were interpreted separately, both genders demonstrated a similar pattern to the total score, although females’ JSE-S scores were higher than the males. Conclusion. The results of the study confirm that educational interventions can increase students’ self-perceived empathy levels; however, we suggest that students require reinforcement and multiple opportunities to practise and observe empathic communication with patients to sustain high levels of empathy. Follow-up sessions to specifically target the promotion of empathy should be implemented; otherwise the long-term effect of educational interventions might be limited.

Correlation between levels for stress with level of empathy in undergraduate medical students.

To determine the correlation between levels of stress with level of empathy in all five years of undergraduate medical students of a private medical college in Pakistan. This descriptive correlation study was conducted at Al Tibri Medical College, Karachi from 15th June to 14th November 2021. Of the 500 students in the medical school, 408 participants filled out the questionnaires through online Google Forms. The student's version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE-S) estimated the self-reported student's empathy levels. At the same time, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was utilized to assess the student's levels of stress. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0 and correlation between empathy and perceived stress was calculated by Pearson's coefficient. A p-value <.05 was considered statistically significant. Out of 408 participants, there were 217(53.2%) males, and 191(46.8%) females. The overall mean JSE-S score was 94.60±11.85, and the mean PSS score was 20.20 ±5.70. Empathy scores improved over the basic sciences years and then significantly decreased in the clinical years of medical college with a significant p-value of .019. The highest stress was present in third year medical students with a p-value of <.001. No statistically significant difference was present between empathy and stress levels (r = 0.04, p = .40). The study showed no statistically significant correlation between empathy and stress. Future research is needed to investigate other main factors for the decline in empathy among medical students.

Levels of Empathy among Turkish Students in Pharmacy and Pharmacy Services Programs

To our knowledge, there is currently no research examining the levels of empathy among students enrolled in pharmacy or pharmacy services programs in Türkiye. The purpose of the present study was to address this gap in the literature by assessing the empathy levels of students enrolled in the pharmacy and pharmacy services programs at Atatürk University using the Turkish version of the Empathy Quotient (EQ-40) measurement tool. The study aims to answer two primary questions: (1) what are the empathy levels of students in the pharmacy services and the pharmacy programs? and (2) are there any differences in empathy levels based on demographic variables such as gender, academic year, and family income? A total of 306 students out of 766 pharmacy program students and 86 students out of 144 students in the pharmacy services program at Atatürk University voluntarily participated in the study. The study utilized a cross-sectional design, administering the Turkish version of the Empathy Quotient to students via a questionnaire delivered through Google Forms. The mean EQ scores for pharmacy and pharmacy services students were 45.8±11.1 and 45.9±12.9, respectively. And there was no statistically significant difference between the empathy scores of two programs. After conducting one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test to investigate the difference between academic year and empathy scores, a significant difference was observed in the pharmacy program, but no significant difference was observed in the pharmacy services program. Our findings showed that empathy scores for pharmacy students were slightly above average, fluctuated throughout their education, and were notably low in recent years. Additionally, empathy scores were slightly above average among students enrolled in pharmacy services program. These findings suggest that both programs should incorporate empathy education into their curricula to enhance students' empathy levels, which in turn would ensure that future professionals possess the necessary skills to communicate effectively with patients and provide optimal care.

The Effects of the Empathy Levels of Midwifery Students on Their Caring Behaviors

Purpose. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the empathy levels of midwifery students on their caring behaviors. Design and Methods. This descriptive study was carried out with 225 midwifery students. The data were collected via the Participant Information Form, the Midwifery Empathy Scale-Revised, and the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24. Findings. The mean Midwifery Empathy Scale-Revised score was 63.64 ± 7.47, which showed moderate levels of empathy. The mean Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 score was 5.13 ± 0.84, and this showed good levels of caring behaviors. In this study, the empathy was determined to explain 17% of the total variance in the caring behaviors (F = 45.371, R2 = 0.170; p = 0.001 ). Practise Implications. The empathy levels of students affect their caring behaviors positively.

The impact of face-to-face mental health consumer-led teaching on occupational therapy student empathy levels: Two group comparison design.

Australian and New Zealand accreditation standards for occupational therapy courses mandate consumer involvement in the design, delivery, and evaluation of courses. Consumer involvement in medical, dental, and nursing education has been evidenced as a factor for increasing student empathy. To date, there has been no known research on the impact of mental health consumer involvement on occupational therapy students' empathy. The aim of this study was to investigate if occupational therapy students who receive teaching from a mental health consumer demonstrate higher levels of empathy compared with students who receive teaching delivered by occupational therapy academics. Pre-post, quasi experimental, two group comparison design was used to measure second-year student empathy pre and post a consumer-led teaching tutorial. Students (N= 217) were randomised into two groups across three university campuses: 'teaching as usual group' (control) or 'consumer-led' group (experimental group). The Jefferson Scale of Empathy was used to measure student empathy. N= 138 matched scales were returned. Little difference in empathy scales was detected between groups. The 'consumer-led' group increased for the empathy scale by 3.4(95% CI: 0.7,6.1, p= 0.014) but was not statistically significant compared to 1.3(95% CI: -1.0,3.5, p= 0.267) for the control group. Both groups scored highly on empathy. This study found that occupational therapy students had pre-existing high levels of empathy. The challenge for future research is to identify appropriate ways to measure the impact of mental health consumer involvement on occupational therapy curriculum and students.

A cross-sectional study of student empathy across four medical schools in Denmark—associations between empathy level and age, sex, specialty preferences and motivation

BackgroundProfessional empathy has been associated with a range of positive patient- and clinician outcomes and is therefore considered important to develop for future physicians. Measuring changes in empathy scores among medical students by using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (Student version) (JSE-S) has led to mixed results. So far, no investigation of Danish medical students’ empathy development has been conducted. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the associations between empathy scores among Danish medical students and medical school, year of curriculum, age, sex, co-habitation, and parental status, specialty preferences and motivations for choosing medicine as a future profession.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional questionnaire study. All medical students from four medical schools in Denmark in their first, third and sixth year (N = 4,178) were invited to participate in the study in October 2020. The associations between JSE-S sum score and the above explanatory factors were analysed by uni- and multivariable linear regression models.ResultsThe JSE-S was completed by 672 medical students. The overall mean score was 112.7. There were no statistically significant differences in empathy between medical schools, first, third- and sixth- year medical students, age groups or parental status. Female students and students living with a spouse or partner scored higher on JSE-S than male students or students living alone, and the sex difference remained statistically significant in the multivariable regression. In both the univariable and multivariable setting, preference for future medical specialty was statistically significant, with a decrease in scores for students choosing surgery-specialties. Motivational factors were not statistically significantly associated with empathy, although there was a slight upwards trend for one of the motivational categories, named “personal experiences”.ConclusionsOverall, our results showed neither decrease nor increase but instead rather stable empathy scores across years of curriculum of medical students in Denmark, adding to the mixed picture of empathy development among medical students. Our findings are consistent with positive associations found in international studies between empathy scores and higher age, female sex, specialty preferences for psychiatry and general practice and altruistic motivations for choosing to enroll. Although specialty preferences are changing during medical education, they may be used meaningfully as predictors of individual student empathy levels.

Empathy in Nursing Students.Cross-sectional Study

Objective: To estimate the levels of empathy in students enrolled in the nursing program. Material and methods. Data Sources: The population consists of students from the first to the fifth academic year (Course) (N = 312, n = 253, 81.08% of the population). Selection of studies: Exploratory and cross-sectional study.Data extraction: The authors collected the information between January and February 2018. Participants answered the Jefferson Medical Scale of Empathy, the Spanish version for medical students (S version), validated and adapted for nursing students in Colombia.Results. Synthesis of the data: Cronbach’s alpha was satisfactory (not typifed = 0.891 and typified = 0.886), from which it is inferred that the data has internal reliability. The inter-class correlation coefficient was 0.891; CI [0.87, 0.909] (F = 9.15, p = 0.005): confirms the good reliability. The authors observed that in empathy, this coefficient was highly signifi-cant in all three factors, with the eta-square value satisfactory and a high power observed. The significance level used was α ≤ 0.05 and β &lt;0.20.Conclusions: The manifestation of the levels of empathy observed in this study agrees with the concept of empathic erosion, especially when analyzing empathic behavior in the male gender. The empathy levels in the students examined are relatively low, and authors conclude that there is considerable potential for growth of empathy and that of its components. Empa-thy is a complex part of academic formation that cannot be seen as an isolated variable.

Empathy and Family Functioning in Medical Students of the University of Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador

Objective: To explore the distribution of general and particular levels of empathy among the different family functioning styles of medical students of the University of Azuay in the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Materials and methods: Exploratory and cross-sectional study. Student empathy levels were measured through the Jefferson Medical Empathy Scale, S-version in Spanish and family functioning through the Family Functioning Scale Faces-20 in a sample of 278 medical students. The comparison of data was carried out by means of analysis of bifactorial variance model III. The level of significance used was ?? 0.05 and 1- ? ? 0.20. Results: The analysis of the general empathy variance was significant (p &lt;0.05) for the family functioning style factor. The results on the dimensions of empathy:” Take on perspective” and “Ability to understand the situation of the other” were significant (p = 0.035; p = 0.044) for the family functioning style factor. Regarding the “Care with compassion” dimension, no significant differences were observed (p&gt; 0.05). On the other hand, it was found that extreme family functioning styles have empathy values ??greater than the intermediate style, with significant differences between them (p &lt;0.05). Conclusion: There is a relationship between the type of family functioning and empathy. Extreme family functioning style have higher empathy values ??than intermedium families. Regarding the gender factor, these differences were not presented

Impact of Perfectionism and Resilience on Empathy in Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Empathy is a cognitive attribute that forms the cornerstone for good doctor–patient encounters. The formative period for the development of empathy toward patients begins with clinical encounters within medical school. An individual medical student's empathy levels may in part be a product of their resilience and perfectionist attitudes. A cross-sectional study with 320 medical students across all years of study was conducted to determine the correlation of perfectionism and resilience with clinical empathy in medical students. The JSE-S, CD-RISC 10, and APS-R scales were used to assess levels of empathy, resilience, and perfectionism, respectively. The study found that a positive correlation exists between resilience (r = 0.174) and academic year with empathy, and a negative correlation exists between maladaptive perfectionism and empathy (r = −0.138). The resilience score declined progressively as the year of study progressed with a statistically significant. Mean empathy scores were lowest in fifth-year students (96.8 ± 12.5) and highest in third-year students (107.8 ± 13.2). Further longitudinal studies are necessary to better understand the impact of resilience and perfectionism on empathy.

Comparison of Self-Reported Empathy Levels among Dental Undergraduate Students in Northern India: A Questionnaire-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Context:Empathy is one of the fundamentals of communication relevant within the practice of dentistry, and the research is limited in this field.Aims:The present study was conducted to assess the self-reported empathy levels among dental undergraduate students in Lucknow city of Northern India.Settings and Design:A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among three dental colleges of Lucknow city during July 2019–September 2019.Subjects and Methods:E-survey link was circulated among 790 students through e-mails. It has two parts. The first part included sociodemographic information, wherein the second part, the empathy level of students was assessed using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Health Profession Students Version Questionnaire. The possible score range is 20–140: the higher the mean score, the higher the self-reported empathy level.Statistical Analysis Used:The data collected were analyzed using SPSS software version 24. Chi-square test was used to test gender distribution differences among different years. One-way analysis of variance including post hoc tests was used to compare the differences between study variables.Results:The mean ± standard deviation empathy score was 92.55 ± 11.85, 91.85 ± 12.23, 93.25 ± 11.24, 93.37 ± 12.31, and 88.34 ± 12.01 among the first-year, second-year, third-year, final-year, and interns' students, respectively, with a statistically significant difference.Conclusion:It can be concluded from the results of the present study that the mean empathy score was highest among final-year students which is suggestive of the impact of education in behavioral sciences.

The relationship between burnout, empathy levels and interest in social activities of medical school students: Two-centre study

Objective: The aim of this study observing the artistic/social activities of medical school students from two different faculties and evaluating the relationship of doing artistic/social activity and burnout risk and empathy levels of students. Method: This is a descriptive study conducted at Cumhuriyet University Medical School and Necmettin Erbakan University Medical School, Turkey. The data was collected through an online survey. The survey included questions about demographic data and frequencies of participation in artistic-social activities. Determinant Scale for Opinions about the (DSOA), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Scale (MBI-SS), and Basic Empathy Scale (BES) also applied. Results: Four hundred and thirteen students participated in the study. While 64.2% (n=265) of the students thought that Art and were related, the rate of those who wanted such an education in the Faculty of Medicine curriculum was only 40.2% (n=166) (p<0.001). The scores of the female students in DSOA were significantly higher than the male students (p<0.001). The burnout risk of students was 54.5%. In the comparison of the scale scores according to participation frequency in artistic/social activities, there were significant differences in cynicism subscale of MBI-SS (p=0.013), affective subscale of BES (p=0.015) and cognitive subscale (p=0.001) of BES. Conclusions: In conclusion, these results support that engaging in artistic activities reduces students' burnout levels and increases empathy levels. It could help reduce students' burnout levels by adding artistic courses or providing the conditions that can reach these activities to the faculty students who have severe educational conditions such as medical school.

A simulated patient experience to improve pharmacy student empathy for patients on hemodialysis

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to increase student empathy towards hemodialysis patients through an educational intervention that simulates a hemodialysis patient experience. MethodsSecond-year pharmacy students (n = 83) in a required therapeutic module were asked to follow key lifestyle modifications of a hemodialysis patient for two weeks. Students' self-perceived empathy level was assessed using the Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES) pre- and post-intervention and post-reflection questions captured students' perceptions of the experience. Data were analyzed using frequencies and Wilcoxon signed ranks tests to assess pre-post changes. Reflection questions were assessed using a grounded analysis to identify themes. ResultsSignificant differences were found on 13 of 15 KCES items and KCES composite scores. Of the 13 significant KCES items, nine were related to the cognitive domain and four were related to the affective domain. When asked how the experience impacted the student personally, 38 responded that it provided them with a better understanding of the challenges associated with managing hemodialysis treatments. In response to how this experience would change their professional interactions with a hemodialysis patient, students explained that they felt more equipped to empathize with patients (n = 22). ConclusionsThis intervention improved students' cognitive and affective empathy towards hemodialysis patients, which may prepare them to be more compassionate healthcare professionals. Experiencing first-hand some of the quality-of-life challenges hemodialysis patients face significantly influenced student empathy levels towards this population.

\u201cIt is through body language and looks, but it is also a feeling\u201d - a qualitative study on medical interns\u2019 experience of empathy

BackgroundEmpathy has long been recognized as a fundamental part of the professionalism of doctors and is considered to be both necessary and beneficial to doctor-patient relationships, although empathy is notoriously difficult to define and measure. Previous research on empathy has mostly consisted of quantitative studies measuring and evaluating empathy levels in students or medical residents. The aim of our qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of empathy among medical interns in Sweden.MethodWe interviewed 16 medical interns, using semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to analyse the interviews.ResultsThe analysis led to the emergence of a main theme of empathy as being multifaceted and conflictual, consisting of descriptions (subthemes) of “being” and “doing”; of being uncontrollable and contextual; biased and situated and essential and conflictual. Since the components of empathy were also found to be interwoven, to provide a more holistic presentation of the results, we applied a socio-ecological model to the results inspired by Bronfenbrenner.ConclusionsWe concluded that empathy is situated and contextual. By using the socioecological model empathy can be described as a systemic interaction between doctor and patient. Based on this we propose a more holistic approach to empathy in medical education to better prepare students for clinical practice.

Empathy levels among medical students in a military medical university and the influencing factors

Objective To investigate the empathy levels of medical students in a military medical university and explore the influencing factors. Methods Self-developed demographic information questionnaire, Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSPE-S), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) were used to collect data from June to October 2016. Medical undergraduate students were conveniently enrolled in the survey. SPSS 17.0 software was used for statistical analysis. T test, ANOVA, and chi-square test or Fisher exact test were used to compare the data of different categories of students. Results A total of 683 questionnaires were distributed and 594 valid questionnaires were returned, with a valid response rate of 86.97%. Students had an above-average level of medical empathy with JSPE-S score as (104.11±19.66), and IRI score was (51.63±10.08). There was a statically difference on level of medical empathy between groups of students with different genders, specialties, professional satisfaction, future career desire, and relative courses learning experience (P<0.05 for all). Medical empathy was significantly negatively correlated with perceived stress (r=-0.392, P=0.000) and significantly positively correlated with perceived stress (r=0.298, P=0.000). Conclusion Targeted strategies should be conducted to improve the empathy levels of students in the military medical university. Key words: Military university; Medical students; Medical empathy; General empathy; Perceived stress

Evaluation of empathy among undergraduate nursing students: a three-year longitudinal study.

Background and aim: An empathic approach is considered fundamental in order to ensure the identification of patient needs and to provide the appropriate care, although the studies on the development of empathic attitude during nursing course reported conflicting results. Different empathic tendencies have been observed in the two genders: many studies showed greater empathy in females. Methods: To assess empathy level of students enrolled in the academic year 2015/16 at an Italian University nursing course, the Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) was administered at the start of Year 1 (n=118), at the mid-point of Year 2 (n=99) and at the end of Year 3 (n=67). Data were statistically analyzed. Results: Cronbach’s values were satisfactory (0.87 at Year 1, 0.89 at Year 2, 0.79 at Year 3), confirming the good internal reliability of BEES. The nursing students obtained a total BEES mean ± SD score of 37.0 ± 19.5 at Year 1, 33.5 ± 22.6 at Year 2 and 35.4 ± 16 at Year 3, without any statistically significant difference among the three years. The BEES mean scores reported by males were lower in comparison with females during the three years of the course, although, at the end of the third year, males showed a significant increase at the “Emotional spread responsiveness” dimension of the scale. Conclusions: The study suggests that empathy can be maintained at good levels during the nursing education especially if nursing teaching and internship are focused on this topic, acting up the innate aptitude of each student. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Developing a Fuzzy Clustering-Based Method for Categorizing Young Adolescent Students Based on Their Empathy Scores and Exploring the Relationship Between Their Empathy and Learning Behaviors

Background: Empathy is a skill that has been proved effective in learning and teaching processes. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between students’ empathy and their learning behaviors. Methods: A fuzzy clustering-based method (an area of artificial intelligence) was used, according to which students were classified to clusters based on their empathy measures. Students’ empathy was assessed through a questionnaire. Overall, 345 students (11 to 13 years old) from six schools located in three different areas of Tehran, Iran, participated in this study, selected by multistage cluster sampling. In this method, similar samples are classified in one cluster and, then, clusters can be labeled based on their attributes (empathy measures). Two teacher-reported and student-reported questionnaires were used to assess the learning behavior and empathy levels of students. Questionnaires were completed by the students and their teachers during school year 2017 and 2018 (from autumn 2017 to spring 2018). All calculations were performed in MATLAB, a multi-purpose programming environment. Results: Although statistical parameters showed a strong relationship between students’ empathy and their learning behaviors, AI clustering process provides a more exact analysis due to its nature. The results revealed a significant relationship between empathy scores and learning among male students. A P value of 0.0031 indicates a meaningful relationship between empathy scores and learning behavior measures. Conclusions: Number of students in each cluster showed that females are more uniform than males in the sense of empathy. Cultural backgrounds have significant effects on answers to questions. Processes revealed a meaningful difference between males and females when their connection of empathy and learning behaviors were investigated. Cognitive components seem to be more determinative than affective components.

A Study on Cultivating Pre-Service Teacher Empathy

This study investigated empathy of pre-service teachers specializing in primary-school education. It was conducted to determine the factors that affect the empathy levels of students by normal University. The research questions, developed in the countryside context, aimed to determine the roles of gender, normal university or non-normal university, academic education, parental rearing patterns and personality in the empathy levels of pre-teachers. The study group consisted of students (n=287), including 170 normal university students practicing teaching in a rural area. An independent t-test was used to determine whether the empathy of pre-service teachers varied by gender and others factors. The analyses found that the student’s average empathy was high and their performance on the concern dimension of empathy varied by gender, normal university or non-normal university. The results also showed that the students’ scores on the personal distress dimension of empathy varied by academic education and personality characteristics. There were no significant differences in other dimensions.