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Empathy: towards a conceptual framework for health professionals.
Pauline Irving1, David Dickson
1School of Communication, University of Ulster, Jordanstown, Newtownabbey, UK.
Summary
This study clarifies the definition of empathy in healthcare, proposing a new conceptual model. This model aims to integrate research and guide future training for better patient-centered care.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Communication
- Psychology
- Medical Education
Background:
- Effective provider-patient communication is central to quality healthcare.
- Patient-centered care, emphasizing responsiveness to individual needs, is increasingly valued.
- Empathy is a core component of patient-centeredness, but its definition lacks clarity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clarify the definition of empathy in the context of healthcare.
- To develop an innovative conceptual model of empathy.
- To provide a framework for future research and training in empathy.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and conceptual analysis of empathy definitions.
- Integration of Carl Rogers' original concepts with other writers' work.
- Development of a conceptual model based on social psychological conceptions of attitude.
Main Results:
- A refined definition of empathy is proposed.
- An innovative conceptual model of empathy is presented.
- The model integrates previous research and offers a framework for future studies.
Conclusions:
- Clarifying empathy's definition enhances understanding of patient-centered care.
- The proposed conceptual model provides a foundation for empathy research and training.
- This work contributes to improving provider-patient relationships and healthcare quality.