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
Abstract 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...
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doaj-fd3b356b2cfc47fb8b488fb5a1143beb2021-01-31T12:16:39ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202020-01-012011910.1186/s12909-020-1935-xA 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 statusKangqi Yi0Mingyi Kang1Dongju Li2Zhipeng Wang3Jinsong Bai4Huiming Xu5Shulan Ma6School of Public Health, Fudan UniversityExperimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan UniversityExperimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan UniversitySchool of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan UniversityExperimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan UniversityShimen Second Road Community Health Service CenterExperimental Teaching Center of Basic Medical Science, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan UniversityAbstract 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.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-1935-xEmpathyChinaJefferson scale of empathy-student versionMedical studentsUndergraduate |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kangqi Yi Mingyi Kang Dongju Li Zhipeng Wang Jinsong Bai Huiming Xu Shulan Ma |
spellingShingle |
Kangqi Yi Mingyi Kang Dongju Li Zhipeng Wang Jinsong Bai Huiming Xu Shulan Ma 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 BMC Medical Education Empathy China Jefferson scale of empathy-student version Medical students Undergraduate |
author_facet |
Kangqi Yi Mingyi Kang Dongju Li Zhipeng Wang Jinsong Bai Huiming Xu Shulan Ma |
author_sort |
Kangqi Yi |
title |
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 |
title_short |
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 |
title_full |
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 |
title_fullStr |
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 |
title_full_unstemmed |
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 |
title_sort |
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 |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Medical Education |
issn |
1472-6920 |
publishDate |
2020-01-01 |
description |
Abstract 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. |
topic |
Empathy China Jefferson scale of empathy-student version Medical students Undergraduate |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-1935-x |
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