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Background & Aim: Clinical competence is the ability to perform professional tasks and coordinate cognitive, communication and psycho-motion skills in patient care, and empathy is one of the factors influencing clinical competence. Given the role of clinical competence in the quality of midwifery care, this study aimed to determine the effect of empathy skill training on clinical competence in midwifery students.
Methods & Materials: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 73 midwifery students and 438 pregnant women in 2015. A clinical competence questionnaire was used to assess the clinical competence of the students, which was completed in two ways by self-assessment and researcher assessment (after reviewing the student's performance for 3 times). Data were analyzed by chi-square test, independent t-test and paired t-test using the SPSS software version 16.
Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups in the mean score of clinical competence in the ways of self-assessment and assessment by the researcher before the intervention (P>0.05). Results from the post-intervention showed that there was significant difference between the two groups. However, the clinical competence score by the researcher assessment in the intervention group was significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05). Also, the difference in the mean scores of the self-assessment of clinical competence before and after the intervention between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05), but the difference in the mean scores of the researcher assessment of clinical competence before and after the intervention between the two groups was significant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Empathy skill training is an effective way to increase the clinical competence of students.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT 2016051127855N1
 

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Background & Aim: Sexual function is an important part of the health of women, and the satisfaction of basic psychological needs is among the variables related to sexual dysfunction. The self-determination theory is one of the most important motivational theories, which considers one’s internal motive the main cause of behavior, and also views three psychological needs (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) as the basis of human behavior. This study was to determine the effect of sexual consulting based on the self-determination theory on women’s sexual function.
Methods & Materials: This clinical trial was conducted on 104 married women aged 18 to 49 years referred to Mashhad health centers in two groups of intervention and control in 2019. The intervention group received five sessions of two-hour group counseling based on the constructs of self-determination theory, with intervals of one week. The data was collected using the sexual performance questionnaire and the constructs of self-determination theory (basic psychological needs) before and after the intervention. Data was analyzed using the SPSS software version 16 through independent t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the average score of sexual function before the intervention. However, after the intervention, the difference in the average score of sexual function between before and after the intervention was 2.76±3.02 for the intervention group and -0.25±0.73 for the control group, which showed a significant increase in the sexual function score of the intervention group compared to the control (P<0.001). Moreover, after the intervention between the intervention and control groups, a statistically significant difference was observed in the average scores of autonomy, competence and relatedness (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Providing group sexual counseling based on the self-determination theory can satisfy the basic needs relating to sexuality and improve women's sexual performance.
Clinical trial registry: IRCT20180726040602N1