(Batt-Rawden + 2013)*

Teaching empathy to medical students: An updated, systematic review.

DOI or Website Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299f3e3

Full Text

Publication: Academic Medicine, 88, 1171–1177

Authors:

- Batt-Rawden, S. A.,
- Chisolm, M. S.,
- Anton, B.,
- Flickinger, T. E.

Date: (2013).

Affiliation(s):

Citation:

Batt-Rawden, S. A., Chisolm, M. S., Anton, B., & Flickinger, T. E. (2013). Teaching empathy to medical students: An updated, systematic review. Academic Medicine, 88, 1171–1177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299f3e3

Comments:

Reviewed in Meta-study (BATT-RAWDEN + 2013)* (physicians/medical education)

- Reviewed in Meta-study (KELM+ 2014)*
- (18 Evaluated) (healthcare)

Abstract:

PURPOSE:

Some research shows that empathy declines during medical school. The authors conducted an updated, systematic review of the literature on empathy-enhancing educational interventions in undergraduate medical education.

METHOD:

The authors searched PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science (January 1, 2004 through March 19, 2012) using key words related to undergraduate medical education and empathy. They independently selected and reviewed all English-language articles that described an educational intervention designed to promote empathy in medical students, assessing the quality of the quantitative studies using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI).

RESULTS:

The authors identified and reviewed the full texts of 18 articles (15 quantitative and 3 qualitative studies). Included interventions used one or more of the following-patient narrative and creative arts (n=7), writing (n=3), drama (n=1), communication skills training (n=4), problem-based learning (n=1), interprofessional skills training (n=1), patient interviews (n=4), experiential learning (n=2), and empathy-focused training (n=1). Fifteen articles reported significant increases in empathy. Mean effect size was 0.23. Mean MERSQI score was 10.13 (range 6.5-14).

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings suggest that educational interventions can be effective in maintaining and enhancing empathy in undergraduate medical students. In addition, they highlight the need for multicenter, randomized controlled trials, reporting long-term data to evaluate the longevity of intervention effects. Defining empathy remains problematic, and the authors call for conceptual clarity to aid future research.

Quotes: (Any pithy quotes)

Topic Area: (In which field / sector / perspective was this study conducted?)

Definition: (How was empathy defined?)

Benefits: (Were any benefits of empathy mentioned?)

(Altmann 2015)

Criticisms (Were any criticisms, negative effects or risks of empathy mentioned?)

Methods: (What were the methods used to train empathy?)

- Patient narrative and creative arts interventions.
- Writing interventions.
- Drama interventions.
- Communication skills training interventions.
- Problem-based learning intervention.
- Interpersonal skills training intervention.
- Patient interview interventions.
- Experiential learning interventions.
- Empathy intervention.

Target Group: (Who participated in this study / training?)

Measurements: (About the assessment: How was the change in empathy measured before/after the intervention/method?)

"Of the 15 quantitative studies,

12 used validated outcome measures in various combinations.
Nine studies employed self-report questionnaires—
7 studies used the JSPE,9,13,14
1 study used the Empathy Tendency Scale (ETS)51,52 and the Empathic Skill Scale (ESS),51,52and
1 study used the BEES16 and the ECRS.18
Two studies employed observed measures—1 used CARE19 from the point of view of first-person patient assessors, and another used the Staff–Patient Interaction Rating Scale (SPIR)53 from the point of view of third-person assessors.
The remaining 4 studies used nonvalidated, self-report measures developed by the study investigators."

Result: (What was the result?)

Posted By:

Notes: (Any other relevant information)

* Papers Evaluated in Meta-Study:

(BAYNE 2011)

* 61. Bayne HB. Training medical students in empathic communication. J Spec Group Work. 2011;36:316–329