Showing 9 results for Empathy
Mohammad Reza Khodabakhsh, Parvin Mansoori,
Volume 4, Issue 3 (5-2011)
Abstract
Observing patients’ rights in health care services plays an important role in improving and adjusting the doctor-patient relationship and is therefore of great significance in health systems management. Considering the role it plays as an important philosophical part of modern ethics in ethical and social functions, empathy has received much attention in various areas of research such as psychology, behavioral studies, neurosciences and psychiatry. The present study will first offer an overview of the history of empathy and its positive effects on the interactions between doctors and patients, and then move on to propose strategies to promote empathy in doctor-patient relationships. Empathy plays a significant role in patient empowerment and satisfaction, and therefore studying its effects on teaching medical ethics as a factor that can positively influence the doctor-patient relationship can provide all, including organizations such as the Ministry of Health and psychology and counseling centers, with valuable guidelines to promote mental health, from prevention to treatment.
Shahriar Shahab, Nahid Rejeh, Maliheh Nasiri, Rohollah Asghari Rad,
Volume 7, Issue 4 (11-2014)
Abstract
Empathy and communication between dentists and patients are among the major concerns of dental health educators. The present study aimed to evaluate the empathy levels of dentistry students with their patients in the city of Tehran during 2014.In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 410 dentistry students of various universities throughout Tehran were selected randomly. Data were collected using the questionnaire of demographic data and Interpersonal Reactivity Index to assess dispositional empathy. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16 statistical software.The students had a mean empathy score of 53.06 (SD = ± 1.03), with the highest level pertaining to the imagination dimension (14.41 ± 4.65). Age, gender, and educational level had significant relationships with empathy (P < 0.01). Female students reported higher emotional empathy (P < 0.01), but no significant relationship was found between empathy and the university of attendance.Empathy scores of undergraduate dentistry students were lower than ideal and acceptable levels. Therefore it seems necessary to design proper educational programs to improve empathy among dentistry students.
Niloofar Mikaeili, Mozaffar Ghaffari,
Volume 8, Issue 6 (3-2016)
Abstract
In treatment settings, where a wide range of personality and individual diversity is to be expected, psychological variables such as intelligence and empathy enhance nurses’ amenability and affect their moral sensitivity. The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between nurses’ personal intelligence and empathy, and their moral sensitivity. This was a descriptive-analytic and correlational study conducted on a statistical sample of 250 nurses working in West Azerbaijan during 2015 selected by Cochran formula and cluster sampling. Mayer’s Personal Intelligence Scale, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and Lutzen’s Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire were used for data collection. The data were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. A positive relationship was found between nurses' moral sensitivity and the empathy variable (r = 0.279, P = 0.002), the subscale “forming models” (r = 0.411, P = 0.001) and the subscale “guiding choices” (r = 0.544, P = 0.001) of personal intelligence. The results of multi-variable correlation coefficient using the input method indicated that empathy and the subscales of personal intelligence influence nurses' moral sensitivity ( 0.374).
Adherence to professional ethics is among the main responsibilities of nurses. Our findings showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between empathy and the subscales of personal intelligence in nurses and their moral sensitivity. It is therefore necessary to increase the latter by enhancing nurses’ personal intelligence and empathy through group training.
Nader Ayadi, Shahriar Dargahi, Hossein Ghamari Givi, Moslem Abbasi,
Volume 9, Issue 2 (8-2016)
Abstract
Job stress is rather common in the nursing profession and affects many areas of nurses’ personal lives such as physical, psychological, social and family aspects. Considering the important role of nurses in the society, it is necessary to identify factors that influence their professional and domestic life, and take preventive measures. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of job stress on marital stress and subjective well-being of nurses.
This was a descriptive correlation research. Study population consisted of 120 nurses employed in the city of Ardabil during 2013 and 2014 selected through available sampling. To collect data, Job Stress Questionnaire (Tufts and Gary Anderson), a subjective well-being questionnaire, and Stockholm-Tehran Marital Stress Scale (STMSS) were used. Data analysis was performed by Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis.
The results of Pearson’s correlation coefficient demonstrated a negative correlation between job stress and subjective well-being in nurses. Moreover, a positive correlation was discovered between job stress and marital stress. Additionally, regression analysis showed that nursing job stress could predict 25 percent of variance of subjective well-being, 27 percent of variance of marital stress and 29 percent of variance of empathy.
It can be concluded that due to the nature of the nursing profession, nurses’ physical, mental and personal lives are influenced by the stress of the workplace. This will in turn lead to increased marital stress and reduced subjective well-being, which may intensify the risk of developing psychological problems and marital issues in the long run.
Mansoureh Ashghali Farahani, Tahmine Salehi, Zahra Arab Ameri, Fatemeh Hajibabaee, Agha Fatemeh Hosseini, Fatemeh Ghaffari,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (10-2016)
Abstract
Empathy is a necessary condition for an effective nursing care. An empathetic relationship between nurse and patients leads to positive treatment outcomes and moral sensitivity among students in clinical and educational environments. This study was conducted in 2014 to determine the level of empathy among nursing students and its relationship with their demographic data. A cross-sectional study (Descriptive analysis) was undertaken using paper-based versions of the Jefferson Scale of nursing Empathy. By using stratified random sampling, 320 undergraduate students from the first to forth-year of their program in Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected.
The result shows that participants reported good empathy levels, and the average of empathy score was 103 ±11. Empathy scores increased with increasing academic year. There was a significant relationship between sex and empathy. Students who did not passed the effective communication course scored higher than their counterparts. Empathy score increased with age, and older students recorded higher scores than their younger colleagues. Single and employed students recorded higher empathy scores than married and unemployed students.
There were no significant differences between the place of living (dormitory versus personal house), Interest in nursing education as well as their marks.
Regarding the relationship between empathy with students’ academic years, the finding offers insights into the importance of incorporating and promoting empathy in nursing curricula from the first year of training.
In addition, it is necessary to pay more attention to teaching empathy to male students.
Marjan Mardani - Hamooleh, Masoomeh Ahmadi, Naimeh Seyedfatemi, Hamid Haghani,
Volume 11, Issue 0 (3-2018)
Abstract
Empathy is considered an essential prerequisite for a nurse to effectively care for a patient. Also, spirituality is an important component in nurse-patient relationships. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between empathy and spiritual attitude among nursing students. In this descriptive and correlation study, the samples consisted of 272 nursing students that were studying in 3 Medical Sciences Universities in Tehran, 2017. Samples were selected through convenience sampling method. Data were collected by demographics’ data form, validated and reliable scales of empathy and spiritual attitude. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical (Pearson Coefficient, Independent T test, and ANOVA) statistics. The students had a mean empathy score of 106.982 ± 14.65 that this was more than median scores of scale (60). Furthermore, they had a spiritual attitude score of 115.79 ± 15.8 that this was more than median scores of scale (86). Findings indicated that a significant relationship between empathy and spiritual attitude among nursing students (r=.265, p=.0001). Gender, educational level, interest in nursing, work status, and the average score of the previous term had significant relationships with empathy (P < 0.05). Interest in nursing and work status had significant relationships with spiritual attitude (P < 0.05).Research findings support the hypothesis of association between empathy and spiritual attitude. Since empathy has a significant relationship with spiritual attitude, it seems that nursing students’ empathy will increase by promoting their spiritual attitude.
Fariba Soheili, Azadeh Taheri, Simin Hosseinian, Roghieh Nooripour,
Volume 12, Issue 0 (3-2019)
Abstract
In this research, an intercultural comparison between medical students from Iran and England was made to investigate the potential impact of culture on empathy and the relationships between empathy and child birth order in the family. The population consisted of medical students of medical universities from three cities: Tehran (Iran), London and Sheffield (England). The sample consisted of 182 students from two countries (88 Iranian, 94 English) which was selected by convenience sampling method. Data was collected by scale of empathy- student version and researcher made demographic questionnaire. Data was analyzed by using student’s t- test, MANOVA and Scheffe post hoc test. Results showed that the physician empathy of Iranian medical students is significantly higher than English students (P <0.01). Also the results showed that birth order of students has a meaningful correlation with their empathy (F=2.96,P<0.05). The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that in the empathy variable, empathic care and self-care is more than English students rather than the patient of Iranian students, but they do not differ in the component of adopting the view. The result of this study reveals the importance of cultural differences and family factors such as birth order on personality factors for instance the physician ability to empathize with patients.
Mohammad Jafari, Arash Ghodousi, Narges Sadeghi, Mozhgan Mohammadpour,
Volume 12, Issue 0 (3-2019)
Abstract
Communication with patients is an important issue in nursing meaning that to realize the truth from their viewpoints. This study was performed to compare levels of nurses’ empathy with patients at drug abuse treatment centers (DATCs) and the internal ward of hospital. The present research was a cross-sectional and descriptive-analytic study conducted at two environments of the internal ward and DATCs. A total of 60 subjects comprised research participants and were listed in the study through census method. A two-part scale was used including personal information and Jefferson scale of empathy with verified validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using SPSS16 software. The scores of nurses' empathy with patients recorded in the internal ward and at DATCs were 67.84±6.32 and 79.73±9.21 (out of 100), respectively (P=0.001). Male nurses (76.80±9.88), married nurses (75.93±9.98), ages of >40 years (79.1±11.12), masters’ degrees (75.5±3.78), job experiences of >10 years (83.53±8.53) and overtime hours of <50 h (80.61±9.9) attained the highest empathy scores with significant differences (P<0.05). The scores of nurses’ empathy with drug-dependent patients at DATCs were higher than those of internal wards indicating that the care of addicted patients in a specialized ward leads to increased empathy. Considering the relationship between
empathic communication, educational levels and occupational experience of nurses, it is essential to consider training empathy skills to nursing students from the first semester and to provide in-service training to nurses working at hospitals and centers by nurses of higher educational qualifications and experiences.
Negin Farid, Nazanin Nazari, Narges Jafar Malek,
Volume 17, Issue 0 (12-2024)
Abstract
Narrative medicine has emerged as a transformative model in healthcare, emphasizing the role of patient stories in enhancing the quality of care. By recognizing the individuality of each patient's narrative—shaped by personal experiences and cultural contexts—this approach fosters deeper connections between caregivers and patients. Despite its growing recognition, narrative medicine remains underutilized in nursing, where the psychological and emotional dimensions of care are often overlooked. This systematic review examines clinical trials that investigate the integration of narrative practices into nursing education and care delivery, with the aim of assessing their clinical and educational impact. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across international and national databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SID, Noor, Magiran, Irandoc, and Google Scholar, using relevant English and Persian keywords. Eligible studies were clinical trials published in English or Persian. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion criteria, eight studies were included for analysis. Selection and data extraction were conducted independently by two researchers, with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer. The review adhered to PRISMA guidelines and ethical standards were maintained throughout. The studies, published between 2018 and 2024, involved nursing students (mean age 17.96–21.5 years), patients with lung tumors (mean age 49.31 years), and elderly patients (aged 61–89 years) with complex fractures. Findings were synthesized into three main domains. First, narrative-based education significantly enhanced empathy and academic performance among nursing students. Second, the implementation of narrative approaches led to measurable reductions in anxiety and depression among patients, particularly those with lung tumors. Third, improvements were observed in overall quality of life, pain management, and cognitive function, especially in elderly patients. These findings suggest that narrative education plays a critical role in improving both clinical and psychological outcomes. Narrative-based interventions enhance the empathetic capacity of nurses and contribute to higher standards of patient care. Incorporating narrative approaches into nursing curricula and clinical practice is recommended as a strategy to foster more holistic and human-centered care.
