A multi-institutional and cross-sectional study on empathy in Chinese medical students: Differences by student cadre or not, future career preference, and father's education status
Background The aims of this study were to examine the factor structure of the Chinese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for medical students (JSE-S) and investigate differences in empathy scores among Chinese medical students according to gender, student cadre or not, future career preference, and parents’ education. Methods Medical students from three universities completed an online questionnaire containing the JSE-S. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure, and group comparisons of empathy scores were examined via t -tests and analysis of variance. Results Four factors emerged from the factor analysis: “perspective taking,” “compassionate care,” “standing in the patient’s shoes,” and an uninterpretable factor. The results indicated that students who were female, held positions as student cadres, preferred to become a doctor, and whose fathers had a high school education or below tended to have more empathy. Conclusions Overall, the findings provide information on the dimensions of empathy applicable to Chinese medical students and confirm the factors found in the original measure.The dimensions have implications for developing empathy among medical students throughout the world. Educators can use the information to design interventions to foster empathy among students in the context of medical education reform in many countries, including China.
Figure 1
Due to technical limitations the tables are available as a download in the Supplementary Files.
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Posted 09 Jan, 2020
On 28 Jan, 2020
On 13 Jan, 2020
On 07 Jan, 2020
On 06 Jan, 2020
On 06 Jan, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2019
Received 11 Dec, 2019
Received 28 Nov, 2019
On 17 Nov, 2019
On 15 Nov, 2019
Invitations sent on 06 Nov, 2019
On 01 Nov, 2019
On 01 Nov, 2019
On 31 Oct, 2019
On 30 Oct, 2019
A multi-institutional and cross-sectional study on empathy in Chinese medical students: Differences by student cadre or not, future career preference, and father's education status
Posted 09 Jan, 2020
On 28 Jan, 2020
On 13 Jan, 2020
On 07 Jan, 2020
On 06 Jan, 2020
On 06 Jan, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2019
Received 11 Dec, 2019
Received 28 Nov, 2019
On 17 Nov, 2019
On 15 Nov, 2019
Invitations sent on 06 Nov, 2019
On 01 Nov, 2019
On 01 Nov, 2019
On 31 Oct, 2019
On 30 Oct, 2019
Background The aims of this study were to examine the factor structure of the Chinese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for medical students (JSE-S) and investigate differences in empathy scores among Chinese medical students according to gender, student cadre or not, future career preference, and parents’ education. Methods Medical students from three universities completed an online questionnaire containing the JSE-S. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to determine the factor structure, and group comparisons of empathy scores were examined via t -tests and analysis of variance. Results Four factors emerged from the factor analysis: “perspective taking,” “compassionate care,” “standing in the patient’s shoes,” and an uninterpretable factor. The results indicated that students who were female, held positions as student cadres, preferred to become a doctor, and whose fathers had a high school education or below tended to have more empathy. Conclusions Overall, the findings provide information on the dimensions of empathy applicable to Chinese medical students and confirm the factors found in the original measure.The dimensions have implications for developing empathy among medical students throughout the world. Educators can use the information to design interventions to foster empathy among students in the context of medical education reform in many countries, including China.
Figure 1
Due to technical limitations the tables are available as a download in the Supplementary Files.