The Relationship Between Perceived Social Support, Empathic Tendencies and Empathic Skills
Aim: Social support is one of the factors that play a protective role against hazards to physical and mental health. Social support is one of the factors that contribute positively to empathy. The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a relationship between social support, empathic tendency and empathic skills. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. The population of the study consisted of all 742 undergraduate students receiving education about health at a public university. After the power analysis, the number of people to be sampled was calculated as 441. The necessary permissions were obtained for the research. Perceived Social Support Scale and Empathic Tendency and Empathic Skill Scale were used in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 20.83±1.93. The scores of social support and sub-dimensions are high, but the scores of empathic tendencies and skills are low. A significant relationship was found between perceived social support and empathic tendency and empathic skills. Those who are 21 years or older have higher potential for empathy. The midwifery department has higher social support, empathic tendency and empathic skill scores. Conclusion: Although perceived social support was associated with empathic tendency, empathic skills were not. Keywords: social support, empathic tendency, empathy, students