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Revista Brasileira de Educação Médica
Print version ISSN 0100-5502On-line version ISSN 1981-5271
Abstract
NUNES, Geórgia Ferreira et al. Analysis of Empathy Levels of Teachers and Medical Preceptors of a Medical Course. Rev. Bras. Educ. Med. [online]. 2020, vol.44, n.1, e043. Epub Mar 17, 2020. ISSN 1981-5271. https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-5271v44.1-20190107.
Introduction:
To assess the level of empathy, as well as sociodemographic and personal aspects related to teachers/preceptors of a medical graduation course, who are also clinicians.
Methods:
This is a cross-sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach. The research was carried out through questionnaires applied to teachers and medical preceptors linked to the medical course of the Pontifical Catholic University of Goiás (PUC Goiás), from module I to module XII, who had direct contact with the students, as well as with patients. The data collection period ranged from August to November 2018 and was developed by means of a convenience sampling. Two different questionnaires were applied, the first one being about sociodemographic and personal aspects, and the second one the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), which multidimensionally measures empathy.
Results:
The participants included 101 doctors who are teachers and/or preceptors in a medical graduation course. The mean age was 45.2 (±8.4) years old. As for gender, 45.5% of the sample consisted of women, and 54.4% of men. Most participants are married (80.2%) and declared having a religion. This research showed higher scores of empathy in the female gender in Fantasy (FS) (p=0.0468), Empathic Concern (EC) (p=0.0219) and Personal Distress (PD) (p=0.0230) dimensions, as well as in general average (p=0.0057). Higher levels of empathy were also identified in those participants with a religion, in the PD dimension (p=0.0074). The personal aspects that most influenced the empathy levels were: teachers/preceptors that cared about stimulating their students regarding empathy - in the FS (p=0.0341), EC (p=0.0398), Perspective Taking (PT) (p=0.0464) dimensions and general average (p=0.0442); those who affirmed to be empathetic themselves - FS (p=0.0327), EC (p=0.0061), PT (p=0.0008) dimensions and general average (p=0.0067); and those who are satisfied about their teaching practice - PT dimension (p=0.0289).
Conclusion:
The collected data showed that sociodemographic and personal aspects have a direct influence on empathy levels. Such evidence is relevant since the education of medical students suffer the influence of the teachers/preceptors’ approach and behavior.
Keywords : Faculty Medical; Medical Education; Empathy.
