Resilience as a Modulating Factor of Empathy in Medical Students

Authors

  • Adán A. Acosta-Martínez Universidad Autónoma de Santa Ana, Departamento de Investigación, Santa Sana El Salador https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6378-5739
  • Mildred A. Sandoval Universidad Autónoma de Santa Ana, Departamento de Investigación, Santa Sana El Salador https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8509-2335
  • Leida G. Monterroza Universidad Autónoma de Santa Ana, Departamento de Investigación, Santa Sana El Salador https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6922-143X
  • Fernando Reyes-Reyes Universidad del Desarrollo, Centro de Estudios en Bienestar y Convivencia Social, Escuela de Psicología, Concepción, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7902-0017
  • Alejandro Reyes-Reyes Universidad Santo Tomás, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Comunicaciones, Departamento de Psicología, Concepción, Chile
  • Lindsey W. Vilca Universidad Norbert Wiener, South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Lima, Perú https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8537-9149
  • Víctor Díaz-Narváez Universidad Andres Bello, Facultad de Odontología, Departamento de Investigaciones, Santiago, Chile https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5486-0415

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52379/mcs.v8i2.409

Keywords:

Empathy, Resilience, Dimensions, Association

Abstract

Introduction: Empathy is a complex and multidimensional attribute. Attempts have been made to explain empathic behavior based on other variables. Empirical evidence shows that empathy could be the product of the influence of several factors. One of these factors could be resilience. There is still no developed theory and consistent empirical evidence demonstrating that empathy depends on resilience. Objective: The aim of this study is to determine if resilience can predict empathic behavior. Methodology: This study is non-experimental and ex post facto with a cross-sectional design. Variables. Dependent: Empathy; Independent: Resilience. Population: Medical students belonging to the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de Santa Ana (UNASA), Santa Ana, El Salvador (N=579). The sample (n=465) consisted of students (both sexes). Convenience sampling. Jefferson Scale of Empathy for Healthcare Professionals, student version (JSE-HPS). Trait Resilience Scale (EEA). A Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) model was used. Additionally, the Comparative Fit Index (CFI) (>0.95), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) (>0.95), Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) (<0.08), and Standardized Root Mean Square (SRMR) (<0.08), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were employed. The significance level employed was ? < 0.05. Results: All these results show that both measurement models (empathy and resilience) are adequately represented and are suitable for the structural model. Discussion: Individual resilience is a variable that can predict empathic behavior in medical students belonging to a Faculty of Health Sciences. The results constitute indirect empirical evidence that it is possible to define empathy as a dependent variable and resilience as an independent variable.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bellucci G, Camilleri JA, Eickhoff SB, Krueger F. Neural signatures of prosocial behaviors. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2020;118:186-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.07.006

Zaninotto L, Altobrando A. Four Core Concepts in Psychiatric Diagnosis. Psychopathology. 2022;55(2):73-81. https://doi.org/10.1159/000520334

Decety J. Empathy in Medicine: What It Is, and How Much We Really Need It. Am J Med. 2020;133(5):561-566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.12.012

Hojat M, DeSantis J, Shannon S, Mortensen L, Speicher M, Bragan L, LaNoue M, Calabrese LH. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy: a nationwide study of measurement properties, underlying components, latent variable structure, and national norms in medical students. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 2018;23(5):899-920. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-018-9839-9

Tzialla N, Boka V, Menexes G, Kotsanos N, Arapostathis K. Psychometric properties of the Greek version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and empathy levels in Greek dental postgraduate students. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2023;24(6):691-700. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-023-00826-x

Ulloque M, Villalba S, Foscarini G, Quinteros S, Calzadilla A, Reyes A, Díaz V. Family Functioning as an Explanatory Factor of Empathic Behavior in Argentine Medical Students. Behav Sci (Basel). 2023;13(5):356. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13050356

Maltby J, Day L, Hall S. Refining Trait Resilience: Identifying Engineering, Ecological, and Adaptive Facets from Extant Measures of Resilience. PLoS ONE. 2015;10:e0131826. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131826

Xing L, Deng SW, Ho GW. From Empathy to Resilience: The Mediating Role of Emotional Intelligence. Psychol Rep. 2023:332941231220299. https://doi.org/10.1177/00332941231220299

Wu W, Ma X, Liu Y, Qi Q, Guo Z, Li S, Yu L, Long Q, Chen Y, Teng Z, Li X, Zeng Y. Empathy alleviates the learning burnout of medical college students through enhancing resilience. BMC Med Educ. 2022;22(1):481. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03554-w

Waddimba A, Bennett M, Fresnedo M, Ledbetter T, Warren A. Resilience, Well-being, and Empathy Among Private Practice Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers in Texas: A Structural Equation Model Study. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2021;5(5):928-945. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.08.009

Wang L, Huang S, Feng Z, Lin Y, Zhang Y. Chain mediation model of consultation empathy, resilience and resignation coping on depression: a cross-sectional study among patients with COVID-19 in China. BMJ Open. 2023;13(11):e079050. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079050

Díaz V, Núñez A, López P, Utsman R, Alonso L. Empathic decline and training in nursing students. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2020;54:e03619. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1980-220x2019006803619

Castillo V, Calzadilla A, Moya C, Torres P, Pastén P, Díaz V. Psychometric properties of the Jefferson Empathy Scale in four nursing student faculties. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2021;55:e03741. https://doi.org/10.1590/s1980-220x2020023903741

Díaz V, Silva M, Stocklin B, González E, Calzadilla A, Torres P, et al. Empathy levels among dental students and professors from a dental school in the Dominican Republic. rev.fac.med. 2022;70(2):e90850. https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v70n2.90850

Maltby J, Day L, Hall S. Refining Trait Resilience: Identifying Engineering, Ecological, and Adaptive Facets from Extant Measures of Resilience. PLoS One. 2015;10(7):e0131826. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131826

Maltby J, Day L, Zemojtel-Piotrowska M, Piotrowski J, Hitokoto H, Baran T, Flowe HD. An ecological systems model of trait resilience: Cross-cultural and clinical relevance. Personality and Individual Differences. 2016;98:96–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.03.10

Kline R. Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling. In The Guilford Press. 4th ed. 2016. URL

Schumacker R, Lomax R, A Beginner. Guide to Structural Equation Modeling: Four Edition (Routledge. (ed.); 2015. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315749105

McDonald R. Test Theory: A unified treatment. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. 1999.

Asociación Médica Mundial. Declaración de Helsinki de la AMM - Principios éticos para las investigaciones médicas en seres humanos. 2017. URL

Machado S, Calvetti P. Instrumentos psicométricos para avaliação da empatia em crianças e adolescentes: revisão sistemática. Psicologia em Revista. 2019;25(3):1044–1059. https://doi.org/10.5752/P.1678-9563.2019v25n3p1044-1059

Ulloque M, Villalba S, Varela de Villalba T, Fantini A, Quinteros S, Díaz-Narváez V. Empathy in medical students of Córdoba, Argentina. Arch Argent Pediatr. 2019;117(2):81-86. English, Spanish. https://doi.org/10.5546/aap.2019.eng.81

Wilczek E. Empathy and resilience in health care professionals. Acta Neuropsychologiica. 2023;21(4):396-410. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0053.9172

Alzugaray C, Basabe N, Muratori M, García F, Mateos-Pérez E. Psicología comunitaria positiva y resiliencia comunitaria: una propuesta de instrumento. Revista Latinoamericana de Psicologi?a Positiva. 2018;4:169–184. URL

Fonseca J, Torres P, Barrios C, Calbacho V, Aguirre J, Fernández M, Díaz V. A longitudinal study on stress sources perceived by Chilean dental students. Revista Facultad de Medicina. 2018;66(1):69–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v66n1.61324

Alzugaray C, Mateos E, Teletxea S. Resiliencia comunitaria y bienestar en adolescentes en desprotección socio-familiar. Inclusão Social. 2020;14(2):171–187. URL

Aparicio D, Ramos A, Mendoza J, Utsman R, Calzadilla A, Diaz V. Levels of empathy, empathy decline and differences between genders in medical students of Cartagena (Colombia) Educación Médica. 2019;20:136-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.edumed.2018.06.004

Díaz V, Erazo A, Bilbao J, González F, Padilla M, Calzadilla A, Silva M, Arboleda J, Bullen M, Utsman R, Fajardo E, Alonso L, Cervantes M, Varela T. Reconsidering the 'Decline' of Dental Student Empathy within the Course in Latin America. Acta Médica Portuguesa. 2017;30(11):775–782. https://doi.org/10.20344/amp.8681

Dávila Y, Reyes A, Calzadilla A, Utsman R, Torres P, Díaz V. Empathy and personality styles in medical students. Revista Colombiana de Psicología. 2020;29(2):73-87. https://doi.org/10.15446/rcp.v29n2.82988

Estrada N, Aldana J, Alfaro B, Calzadilla A, Reyes A, Díaz V. Family Functioning as a Possible Factor that Modulates Empathy Levels in Dental Students. Revista de Investigación e Innovación en Ciencias de la Salud. 2023;5(1):160-175. https://doi.org/10.46634/riics.178

Downloads

Published

05/14/2024

Issue

Section

Original Articles

Similar Articles

1 2 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)