scholarly journals Moral Sensitivity, Empathy and Prosocial Behavior: Implications for Humanization of Nursing Care

Author(s):  
Iván Suazo ◽  
María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes ◽  
María del Mar Molero Jurado ◽  
África Martos Martínez ◽  
María del Mar Simón Márquez ◽  
...  

Humanization of nursing is related to certain social and moral variables. Moral sensitivity, empathy, and prosocial behavior help understand a situation and make decisions that benefit the patient. The objective of this study is to find out how these variables are related, and define the differences in moral sensitivity, empathy, and prosocial behavior in humanization of nursing. We also analyzed the mediating role of empathy in the relationship between moral sensitivity and prosocial behavior. The sample was made up of 330 Spanish nurses aged 22 to 56, who completed the HUMAS Scale and adapted versions of the Basic Empathy Scale, the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire, and the Prosocial Behavior Scale. Descriptive analyses, bivariate correlations and multiple mediation models were calculated. The results found significantly different mean scores between all the groups in responsibility and moral strength, cognitive empathy, and prosocial behavior, and in moral burden, the differences were in the high-humanization-score group compared to the low-score group. Furthermore, the mediation models showed the mediating effect of cognitive empathy between the responsibility, strength, and moral burden factors on prosocial behavior, but not of affective empathy. The study concluded that humanization in nursing is closely related to moral sensitivity, cognitive empathy, and prosocial behavior. This facilitates a helping, caring, and understanding attitude toward patient needs, but without the affective flooding that affective empathy can lead to.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreia Alexandra Cunha Azeredo ◽  
Patricia Figueiredo ◽  
Eduarda Ramião ◽  
Diana Moreira ◽  
Ricardo Barroso ◽  
...  

Empathy has revealed a fundamental role in fostering prosocial and altruistic behavior. Conversely, empathic dysfunction has been associated with antisocial behavior (ASB). The Basic Empathy Scale (BES) has been the most used instrument to measure empathy in studies with children and adolescents in forensic settings. Thus, we conducted a systematic review in order to establish reference values for BES in children and adolescents with conduct disorder/antisocial behavior (CD/ASB) and typical controls. Studies related to the topic were obtained from multiple databases (e.g., EBSCO, PubMed, Web of Science), through rigorous exclusion and inclusion criteria. Only papers with empirical and quantitative methodologies from scientific and academic publications were included. A total of 311 studies were identified through database searches and 15 articles were retained for this review. The findings reveal lower empathy scores in children and adolescents with CD/AB (pooled mean for the total scale = 52.32; mean for cognitive empathy = 30.86; pooled mean for affective empathy = 28.83) than controls (pooled mean for the total scale = 67.20; pooled mean for cognitive empathy = 34.04; pooled mean for affective empathy = 32.30). This review provides reference values that can be useful for the application of the BES and the interpretation of its results, both in clinical practice and in future research with children and adolescents.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Reniers ◽  
R. Corcoran ◽  
R. Drake ◽  
N. Shryane ◽  
B. Völlm

Aims/objectives:A lack of empathy is associated with callous-unemotional behaviour, violence, aggression, criminality, and problems in social interaction. Empathy is, though, inconsistently defined and inadequately measured. We therefore set out to produce a new and rigorously developed empathy questionnaire that would have clinical and public-health relevance.Methods:Sixty-five questions, themed around cognitive empathy (the ability to construct a working model of the emotional states of others) and affective empathy (the ability to be sensitive to and vicariously experience the feelings of others), were administered to two independent samples of healthy volunteers (N1=640, N2=383), which were used to explore and validate the factor structure.Results:Principal components analysis revealed five factors from thirty-seven items. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed this structure. The hypothesised two-factor structure (cognitive and affective empathy) was tested by adding two second order factors, indicated by the five first-order factors, and provided the best and most parsimonious fit to the data (CFI=0.961, RMSEA=0.048). Cognitive Empathy encompassed Perspective Taking and Online Simulation; Affective Empathy encompassed Emotional Responsivity, Peripheral Responsivity and Emotional Contagion. Females scored significantly higher than males on Affective Empathy but not on Cognitive Empathy. The factors correlated significantly with measures of empathic anger, impulsivity, aggression, psychopathy, Machiavellianism and empathy as measured by the Basic Empathy Scale.Conclusions:The QCAE measures the distinct and specific components that make up cognitive and affective empathy. The factor structure was confirmed in independent samples and represents a valid tool for assessing cognitive and affective empathy and its subcomponents.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
María del Carmen Pérez-Fuentes ◽  
José Jesús Gázquez Linares ◽  
María del Mar Molero Jurado ◽  
María del Mar Simón Márquez ◽  
África Martos Martínez

Abstract Background The work of health professionals is characterized by a high demand for psychological and emotional resources and high levels of stress. Therefore, the promotion of commitment and job well-being through strategies such as increased mindfulness, is important among nursing workers. Although mindfulness has shown positive effects in the health field, few studies have explored the mechanisms and processes underlying these results. We investigated the mediating role of empathy (cognitive/affective) in the effect of mindfulness on the dimensions of engagement in nursing professionals. Methods Sample was comprised of 1268 Spanish nurses between 22 and 62 years old, that completed the Utrecht Labor Engagement Scale and the adapted versions of Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and Basic Empathy Scale. The relationship between variables to be included in the regression analyses, bivariate correlations were carried out, and the descriptive statistics of these variables were also found. To estimate the mediation model was used, in this case for multiple mediation effects. Results Mindfulness is found to affect the Vigor and Dedication factors of engagement through cognitive empathy. While for the Absorption factor, the affective component of empathy also exerts a mediating role, although weaker than cognitive empathy. Cognitive empathy, as an individual factor, was shown to have a mediating effect between mindfulness and the factors of engagement in healthcare workers. Conclusions The level of mindfulness influences engagement of nursing professionals positively, and this result is mediated mainly by cognitive empathy. Both mindfulness and empathy are modifiable individual factors, so their intervention by designing and implementing specific programs, can increase the commitment and wellbeing of professionals generating benefits to workers and to their patients.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S82-S82
Author(s):  
M. Balážová ◽  
I. Gallová ◽  
J. Praško ◽  
M. Šlepecký ◽  
A. Kotianová

IntroductionAt the present time, adolescents are in particular vulnerable to feelings of loneliness. They are gradually emancipating from their family and establish relationships with peers. Among the important predictors of loneliness belong genetic and personal variables and factors of social environment.Objectives and aimsTo examine predictors of adolescents’ loneliness which are located in family environment. To find out how empathy, emotional relationship and control by both of parents contribute to loneliness of adolescent boys and girls.MethodsWe examined 206 adolescents in the age from 10 to 18 years through Basic Empathy Scale, Parenting Style Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used for data analysis.ResultsThe significant predictors of boys’ loneliness in family environment are emotional relationship of mother and affective empathy of father. The significant predictors of girls’ loneliness include emotional relationship and cognitive empathy of father. Parental control is not a significant predictor of adolescents’ loneliness.ConclusionAdolescents’ loneliness is largely influenced by factors of family environment. Our study highlights the role of emotional relationship provided by the opposite sex parent. Cold behavior of the opposite sex parent could reduce self-esteem and self-confidence of adolescents. Both could help them establish relationships with peers and people outside family, thus protecting them against loneliness. A significant predictor of boys’ and girls’ loneliness is also empathy of father. We recommend to make use of our findings in clinical practice with adolescents, in family therapy as well as in context of attachment.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Chen ◽  
Guangbo Dou ◽  
Liang Chen

This study aimed to revise the Chinese version of the Basic Empathy Scale for college students. The cluster random sampling method was used to select 805 college students from two universities to conduct confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, reliability analysis, and an independent samples t-test. The confirmatory factor analysis model illustrated that the two-factor model failed to fit the data, and the two-factor model with methodological effect was finally accepted. Therefore, the questionnaire exhibits a strong methodological effect among Chinese college students which requires further study. Emotional and cognitive empathy had a significant positive correlation with gratitude and Internet altruism behavior, which showed good convergent validity. The gender difference test revealed that the emotional empathy level of girls was significantly higher than that of boys. The revised Basic Empathy Scale showed acceptable reliability and validity.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1406
Author(s):  
Yang-Woon Chung ◽  
Seunghee Im ◽  
Jung-Eun Kim

(1) Background: Empathy affects an individual’s decision to participate in volunteering, and volunteering, in turn, influences mental health. Intriguingly, studies have been limited in exploring underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions for the relationship between empathy and mental health. Furthermore, volunteering studies have overlooked the multi-dimensionality of empathy. Therefore, this study seeks to contribute to extant literature by investigating the mediating effect of volunteering for the relationships between cognitive and affective empathy and mental health and the moderating effect of gender for the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (2) Methods; Data were collected using a survey in South Korea and consisted of 301 full-time employees who voluntarily engaged in their corporate volunteer programs. Furthermore, they voluntarily participated in the study. The hypotheses were tested with path analysis and a group comparison was also conducted. (3) Results: Volunteering was found to mediate the relationships between cognitive empathy and affective empathy with mental health. In addition, gender moderated the relationship between empathy and volunteering. (4) Conclusions: As the study found empathy to increase individuals’ engaging in volunteering activities which then improved mental health, the study supports extant theoretical frameworks on empathy and volunteering. Moreover, the study found gender differences on empathy and volunteering; thereby supporting and contributing to extant literature.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yang Ou ◽  
Yanna Ren

Abstract Background: One of the important parts of medical students' competence is empathy, which is believed to significantly influence patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and the sense of professional fulfillment. Objective: This study explored the potential mediating effect of gratitude on the relationship between self-esteem, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy, which may provide fundamental data for educational programs aiming to promote cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Design: The paper surveyed a total of 344 medical students with the Self-Esteem Scale, Gratitude Questionnaire-6, and the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index Scale. It uses descriptive analysis to determine the levels of self-esteem, gratitude, and empathy, and Pearson’s correlation to analyze correlations between them. It also conducts the pathway analysis with the equipment of structured equation modeling to test the mediating effect of gratitude on the association between self-esteem and empathy. Results: A total of 306 (88.95%) medical students completed the survey. It finds that, first, the levels of self-esteem, gratitude, cognitive empathy, and affective empathy are significantly correlated. Second, self-esteem has a direct, positive effect on cognitive empathy and affective empathy. Third, gratitude has a mediating role between self-esteem, cognitive empathy [b self-esteem - gratitude - cognitive empathy = 0.072, 95% CI = (0.013 to 0.131), p< 0.05], and affective empathy [bself-esteem - gratitude - affective empathy = 0.241, 95% CI = (0.018 to 0.134), p< 0.001]. Conclusion: Based on the role of self-esteem and gratitude in predicting cognitive empathy and affective empathy, this model can be used in the practice of clinical education to promote cognitive empathy and affective empathy in medical students.


Children ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 596
Author(s):  
Pamela Fantozzi ◽  
Pietro Muratori ◽  
Maria Celeste Caponi ◽  
Valentina Levantini ◽  
Cristina Nardoni ◽  
...  

Background: Beside the core symptoms, patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently show relevant difficulty in developing relationships with peers. Although ADHD symptoms may account for social impairment, deficits in cognitive and/or affective empathy have also been involved. Our aim was to investigate the effect of methylphenidate (MPH) treatment on affective and cognitive empathy. Methods: Sixty-one drug-naïve youths with ADHD (age range 6 to 17 years, mean 10.3 ± 2.8 years, 51 males) naturalistically treated with MPH monotherapy were followed up for 6 months for ADHD symptoms and empathy, measured with the Basic Empathy Scale. Results: After being treated with MPH, the patients showed a significant improvement in affective and cognitive empathy scores. Linear regression models showed that changes in inattention symptoms predicted changes in affective but not in cognitive empathy, while changes in the hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms did not predict changes in affective or cognitive empathy. Conclusions: Our study provides a further contribution for a better understanding of the possible effects of the MPH on youth’s characteristics.


Humaniora ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 105
Author(s):  
Almira Rizki Pontania ◽  
Rose Mini Agoes Salim

This research presented the relationship between a child’s empathy and parents’ prejudice, which was mediated by parenting style. The purpose of this research was to determine whether parenting style could be a mediator between parents’ prejudice and child’s empathy and also what type of parenting style would be appropriate to increase empathy in children. The research respondents consisted of 233 parents who had children aged 6-8 years old and were measured using the Basic Empathy Scale-Parent Report (BES-PR), the Blatant Prejudice Scale, and the Parental Authority Questionnaire-Revised (PAQ-R). The data obtained were processed using Pearson correlation and multiple regression (Hayes process). The results show that parenting style can be a mediator between child’s empathy and parents’ prejudice. The parenting style that can increase empathy in children is authoritative parenting. It means that when parents have a low prejudice, they tend to apply authoritative parenting, and this has an effect on increasing empathy in children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-198
Author(s):  
Charyna Ayu Rizkyanti ◽  
Nabilah Edyta ◽  
Nefira Dewi Fitrusti

During the Covid-19 pandemic, various activities, including the learning process, have shifted to digital platforms. This is a serious concern because teenagers interact more easily with smartphones than pay attention to other people during social interactions, which is called "phubbing". The purpose of this study was to examine the role of cognitive empathy in phubbing among adolescents who use social media. By using the volunteer sampling (opt-in) panel technique, a total of 398 respondents (aged 16-21) were taken part in this study. Respondents filled out two instruments, namely the Phubbing Scale (10 items), the Basic Empathy Scale (9 items). There is an effect of cognitive empathy on phubbing in adolescent social media users, with a contribution value of 38%. The results showed there was a gender difference, with girls reporting higher levels of phubbing and cognitive empathy than boys. This study is the first to provide empirical evidence on the role of cognitive empathy for phubbing on social media among adolescents. This highlights the importance of efforts to indulge our culture as our national identity to stop phubbing becoming the new norm in society, including the younger generation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document