scholarly journals Intensity, dynamics and deficiencies of empathy in medical and non-medical students

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Sobczak ◽  
Agata Zdun-Ryżewska ◽  
Agata Rudnik
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
High Functioning Autism ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Career Counselling ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
Empathy Quotient ◽  
Medical Professions ◽  
Psychology Pedagogy ◽  
Student’S T

Abstract Background Empathy is an important competence in the professional development of medical students. The purpose of our study was to compare the levels and scales of empathy in people studying in different educational strategies. Methods The study was conducted between April 2019 and March 2020. Medicine, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, psychology, pedagogy and sociology students were the participants of this study. University students preparing for medical professions (n = 1001) and students of programs unrelated to medicine (n = 700) underwent the Empathy Quotient test (EQ-40). We have compared results in both study groups with the use of the distribution of density, analysis of variance and student’s t-test. Results The average results received by students of the university preparing for medical professions were lower (M = 42.6) than those of the non-medical university students (M = 45.3) and the differences between the universities turned out to be statistically important (t = − 5.15, df = 1699, p < 0.001). As many as 14.6% of the students in the 1st EQ class were preparing for various medical professions while 9% studied social sciences. 18.2% of all medical programme students (n = 412) manifested the lowest empathy class. Our research has revealed that the students with Asperger profile (AP) and high-functioning autism (HFA) studied at universities preparing for medical professions (n = 18) more frequently than at non-medical universities (n = 5). Conclusions We have noticed a serious indicator of erosion in the levels of empathy in medical students and an increase in the number of people with AP and HFA. Empathy decreases in students after the third year of their studies, regardless of the kind of university. We recommend an introduction of career counselling when specialization is being chosen.

Differences in empathy in Italian university students: Are medical students more or less empathetic?

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S739-S740
Author(s):  
M. Pascucci ◽  
D. Di Sabatino ◽  
E. Stella ◽  
M. La Montagna ◽  
R. Nicastro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Interpersonal Relationships ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
First Year ◽  
Demographic Questionnaire ◽  
Empathy Quotient ◽  
Important Quality ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Over Time

IntroductionEmpathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing. It is an important quality in the medical profession, since it is fundamental in interpersonal relationships with patients. Nevertheless, many studies have found that over time medical students (MS) become less empathic and more detached from patients.Objectives and aimsTo determine MS loss of empathy and to study the differences in empathy between MS and other university students who are not involved in healthcare.MethodsWe enrolled 244 MS (120 of the 1st year and 124 of the last year) and 125 other university students not involved in healthcare, in different universities in Rome and Foggia (Italy). They anonymously and voluntarily completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and Baron Cohen's empathy quotient test (EQ).ResultsWe found no differences regarding EQ total score between MS and other students, however there are few differences considering individual EQ items. In particular, MS really like taking care of others (P = 0.005) and they are sometimes considered to be rude, even if only they are only blunt (P = 0.006). We found no differences in empathy between first year and last year MS.ConclusionsIn our sample of Italian students, we have not found MS to be more or less empathetic than other university students, but there are some peculiar differences in empathy that make them better suited to the chosen course of study. Moreover, we found no differences between the different years of medical school.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Trend of Regular Voluntary Blood Donation and its Associated Factors in Karachi - A Comparative Analysis of Medical and Non-medical Undergraduate Students

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nazish Jaffar
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Blood Donation ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Medical Group ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Blood Donations ◽  
Medical Undergraduate ◽  
Donated Blood

Background: Regular voluntary unpaid blood donation assures safe blood supply in association with minimum infection transmission. The purpose of this study was to identify the frequency of regular voluntary blood donation and to evaluate the causes of donating blood as well as factors impeding blood donations among the medical and nonmedical students of Karachi. Methods: A comparative cross sectional study was conducted among medical and nonmedical students of JSMU and NED University respectively from May to October 2018. Sample size was 272 including 137 medical and 135 non-medical students. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Chi-square test of independence/ Fischer’s exact test were applied to assess statistical significance. Result: In medical group 5/21(23.8%) voluntary regular donors were recorded. In non-medical group, voluntary regular donors were found to be 8/30 (26.6%) (p>0.00). Medical students most commonly 15/21 (71.4%) donated blood voluntarily in a camp while non-medical participants frequently donated blood as replacement donors 13/30 (43.3%) (p>0.00). Major hindering factor for blood donation in both study groups was non-participation in blood donation derives i.e. 66/116 (56.8%) in medical and 53/105 (50.4%) in non-medical groups respectively. Anemia, 20/116 (17.2%) in medical and 15/105 (14.2%) in nonmedical students was the second major cause of not donating blood. Conclusion: The frequency of regular voluntary blood donations is very low among undergraduates. However, comparatively, the trend is slightly higher among non-medical group. The major hindrance in not donating blood was non-participation in blood donating derives.

Chronotype and Smartphone Use among Japanese Medical Students

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 75-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahiro Toda ◽  
Nobuhiro Nishio ◽  
Satoko Ezoe ◽  
Tatsuya Takeshita
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
University Students ◽  
Web Browsing ◽  
Smartphone Use ◽  
Medical University

The authors investigated associations between smartphone use and chronotype. To 196 medical university students, they administered a set of self-reporting questionnaires designed to evaluate smartphone use and chronotype. Respondents were categorized into morning types and evening types: for females, the evening types scored higher for smartphone dependence; the authors also found greater duration of Web browsing service, in particular Twitter, in the evening types. No such correlation was found for male respondents. These findings provide evidence that, particularly for females, smartphone use and/or dependence may be related to chronotype.

Assessment of cognitive profile (WISC-IV), autistic symptomatology and pragmatic disorders in high intellectual potential compared with autism spectrum disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S129-S129
Author(s):  
A. Boschi ◽  
P. Planche ◽  
A. Philippe ◽  
L. Vaivre-douret
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
High Functioning Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Empathy Quotient ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Perceptual Reasoning ◽  
Intellectual Potential

IntroductionAn overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in particular Asperger Syndrome (AS), and high intellectual potential (HIP–Total IQ > 2 SD) is often discussed.ObjectivesExplore differences between homogeneous and heterogeneous Wisc-profiles among HIP children, and between HIP and ASD children, on cognitive and clinical assessments.MethodsForty-nine participants (mean age 11.2 years) were divided in 4 groups: High Functioning Autism (HFA), AS, Homogenous HIP and Heterogeneous HIP. Data of WISC-IV and questionnaires – Autism Quotient (AQ), Empathy Quotient (EQ), Systemizing Quotient (SQ), Children's Communication Checklist (CCC) – were compared.(Preliminary) ResultsOn the WISC-IV, the Z scores curves follow similar trajectories but highlight quantitative differences between AS and heterogeneous HIP: verbal comprehension is the highest index (+1,6 SD in AS; +3,1 SD in heterogeneous HIP) followed by perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed indexes (–1,2 SD in AS; +0,5 SD in heterogeneous HIP), respectively. The questionnaires show that scores of Homogenous HIP children are all in the average. Heterogeneous HIP children score 2,1 SD above average on the AQ (+1,6 SD on “Social Skills” and +1,3 SD on “Local Detail” subscales), whereas ASD children score 4 SD above average on the AQ. In addition, heterogeneous HIP children show pragmatic difficulties (–2,4 SD on the CCC, with a peak on “Area of Interest” subscale), also present in ASD children (–4 SD).ConclusionsAS and heterogeneous HIP children show similar cognitive profiles on the WISC-IV. Furthermore, heterogeneous HIP children exhibit high scores on the AQ and have pragmatic difficulties.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals The systemizing quotient: an investigation of adults with Asperger syndrome or high–functioning autism, and normal sex differences

2003 ◽  
Vol 358 (1430) ◽  
pp. 361-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Baron-Cohen ◽  
Jennifer Richler ◽  
Dheraj Bisarya ◽  
Nhishanth Gurunathan ◽  
Sally Wheelwright
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
General Population ◽  
Asperger Syndrome ◽  
High Functioning Autism ◽  
Mental States ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
High Functioning ◽  
Major Dimension ◽  
Empathy Quotient

Systemizing is the drive to analyse systems or construct systems. A recent model of psychological sex differences suggests that this is a major dimension in which the sexes differ, with males being more drawn to systemize than females. Currently, there are no self–report measures to assess this important dimension. A second major dimension of sex differences is empathizing (the drive to identify mental states and respond to these with an appropriate emotion). Previous studies find females score higher on empathy measures. We report a new self–report questionnaire, the Systemizing Quotient (SQ), for use with adults of normal intelligence. It contains 40 systemizing items and 20 control items. On each systemizing item, a person can score 2, 1 or 0, so the SQ has a maximum score of 80 and a minimum of zero. In Study 1, we measured the SQ of n = 278 adults (114 males, 164 females) from a general population, to test for predicted sex differences (male superiority) in systemizing. All subjects were also given the Empathy Quotient (EQ) to test if previous reports of female superiority would be replicated. In Study 2 we employed the SQ and the EQ with n = 47 adults (33 males, 14 females) with Asperger syndrome (AS) or high–functioning autism (HFA), who are predicted to be either normal or superior at systemizing, but impaired at empathizing. Their scores were compared with n = 47 matched adults from the general population in Study 1. In Study 1, as predicted, normal adult males scored significantly higher than females on the SQ and significantly lower on the EQ. In Study 2, again as predicted, adults with AS/HFA scored significantly higher on the SQ than matched controls, and significantly lower on the EQ than matched controls. The SQ reveals both a sex difference in systemizing in the general population and an unusually strong drive to systemize in AS/HFA. These results are discussed in relation to two linked theories: the ‘empathizing–systemizing’ (E–S) theory of sex differences and the extreme male brain (EMB) theory of autism.

scholarly journals Intravesical prostaglandin e2 effectiveness in the prevention of urinary retention after transvaginal reconstruction of the pubo-cervical fascia and short arm sling according to Lahodny: a prospective randomized clinical trial

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. QUADRI ◽  
N. NATALE ◽  
C. SPREAFICO ◽  
C. BELLONI ◽  
D. BARISANI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prostaglandin E2 ◽  
Urinary Retention ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
T Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Fisher Exact Test ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Exact Test ◽  
Student’S T ◽  
Student’S T Test

Intravesical prostaglandin E2 is effective in the recovery of spontaneous voiding after transvaginal reconstruction of the pubocervical fascia and short arm sling according to Lahodny. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of intravesical prostaglandin E2 in the prevention of urinary retention after transvaginal reconstruction of the pubocervical fascia and short arm sling according to Lahodny. STUDY DESIGN: From November 1996 to June 1999 fifty women underwent the Lahodny procedure for moderate/severe cystocele and stress urinary incontinence. Women were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 study groups: intravesical prostaglandin E2 versus controls. Data obtained were analyzed with the Student t test and the Fisher exact test. RESULTS: Two patients of the treatment group had to be excluded from the study, one because of the wrong measurement of the post-voidal residual volume and another due to a fastidious burning sensation which appeared immediately after prostaglandin instillation and required the suspension of the treatment. No other side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or hyperthermia were observed. Patients who underwent the prostaglandin E2 treatment showed a recovery of spontaneous voiding after 7.9&plusmn;6.7 days, whereas this interval was significantly longer in the control group, being 12.9&plusmn;9.7 days (p=0.04, Two tailed Unpaired Student's T test). CONCLUSION: The effectiveness and the low associated morbidity mark the treatment with intravesical prostaglandin E2 useful in the recovery of normal voiding after transvaginal pubocervical fascia reconstruction and short arm sling with the procedure according to Lahodny.

Medical Students’ Professionalism Narratives Reveal That Experiences With Death, Dying, or Palliative Care Are More Positive Than Other Experiences During Their Internal Medicine Clerkship

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry D. Cripe ◽  
David G. Hedrick ◽  
Kevin L. Rand ◽  
Debra Burns ◽  
Daniella Banno ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
Barriers To Learning ◽  
Medicine Clerkship ◽  
Student Preparedness ◽  
Internal Medicine Clerkship ◽  
The Common ◽  
And Control

Purpose: More physicians need to acquire the skills of primary palliative care. Medical students’ clerkship experiences with death, dying, and palliative care (DDPC), however, may create barriers to learning such skills during residency. Whether professional development is differentially affected by DDPC is unknown. This knowledge gap potentially hinders the development of educational strategies to optimize students’ preparedness for primary palliative care. Method: Third-year students submitted professionalism narratives (N = 4062) during their internal medicine clerkship between 2004 and 2011. We identified DDPC-related narratives and then randomly selected control narratives. Narratives were compared by valence (positive or negative) and professionalism-related themes. Results and Conclusion: Less than 10% of the narratives were related to DDPC, but the majority was positive. There was a significant overlap in professionalism themes between DDPC and control narratives. The results suggest student preparedness for primary palliative care may be improved by addressing the common professionalism challenges of clinical clerkships.

scholarly journals Creative Legal Study among Undergraduate Medical Students: Sharing Technique from Mae Fah Luang University

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnon Jumlongkul
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Competency Assessment ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
End Of Life Decisions ◽  
Legal Study ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Medical Professions ◽  
Health Laws

In Thailand, the topic of medical ethics and laws related to medical professions has been one part of the national competency assessment criteria. The objective of this article was to design legal issues into the medical curriculum and to share experiences of creative legal study. Legal contents were inserted into 10 subjects and taught for year 1 to year 6 medical students. Students were divided into multi-groups or received individual tasks and then, shared their knowledge and idea for solving legal problems. The results showed they could interpret and create novel ideas for legal and ethical reconstruction, including the topic of the principle of laws, criminal laws, civil and commercial laws, public health laws, organ donation/transplantation, end of life decisions, and legal liability for the medical profession. Finally, the creative legal study can be used as a novel approach to support creativity among medical students.

scholarly journals University Students’ Assessment of a Service-Learning Project for Developing Teaching Materials

2021 ◽  
pp. 688-705
Author(s):  
Juan Lucas Onieva López ◽  
John Ramírez Leyton ◽  
Raúl Cremades ◽  
Soledad Ortega
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
University Students ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
School Teacher ◽  
Teaching Material ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Primary School Teacher ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Student’S T

The objective of this study is to determine the opinions of university students undergoing primary school teacher training to develop language teaching material for patients from the Children’s Hospital of Málaga, Spain, using the Service Learning (SL) methodology. Students evaluated this methodology by answering a 16-question questionnaire validated by external researchers. Academic performance was analysed using the Student’s t-test by comparing grades between an intervention and a control group. The results indicated improvements in several areas, including: the level of engagement, transversal competencies, academic performance, level of student satisfaction, and acquisition of teaching material related to the subject.

scholarly journals Implementación de estrategias creativas en estudiantes universitarios: propuesta pedagógica para un aprendizaje realmente significativo / Implementation of Creative Strategies in University Students: Pedagogical proposal for a real and meaningful learning

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
Nahomy Casas Barrera ◽  
Lorena Acevedo
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Baja California ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Educational Strategies ◽  
The Third ◽  
Field Practice ◽  
Estudiantes Universitarios

ABSTRACTCreative strategies benefit the students in order to guide them to the achievement of a meaningful learning, because they help to a greater concentration by presenting the content of the class, understanding then the nature, reach and sequence of the information provided. The present field practice was carried out with a group of university students of the third semester of the Faculty of Languages at the Autonomous University of Baja California. Starting with the theme of motivation, five educational strategies are implemented to later know the perspective of the students through a survey.RESUMENLas estrategias creativas benefician a los alumnos para poder orientarlos al logro de un aprendizaje significativo, pues ayudan a una concentración mayor al presentar el contenido de la clase, comprendiendo entonces su naturaleza, alcance y secuencia de la información proporcionada. La presente práctica de campo fue realizada con un grupo de jóvenes universitarios de tercer semestre de la Facultad de Idiomas en la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. Partiendo con el tema de motivación, se implementaron cinco estrategias educativas para posteriormente conocer la perspectiva de los alumnos mediante una encuesta.  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document