Athletes' Perception of Athletic Trainer Empathy: How Important Is It?

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Athletic Training
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Patient-centered care requires effective communication, with empathy being a critical component.
• Empathy in healthcare is linked to improved patient satisfaction, compliance, and treatment outcomes.
• Limited research exists on empathy within athletic training, particularly using qualitative methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and understand student-athletes' perceptions of empathy in their relationship with athletic trainers.
• To identify key factors contributing to or detracting from perceived empathy in athletic training interactions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews were conducted with 15 NCAA Division I student-athletes.
• Grounded-theory techniques were employed for data collection and analysis.
• An interview protocol focused on empathy factors in athletic training, ensuring trustworthiness through member checks and triangulation.

Main Results:

• Five core themes emerged: advocacy, communication, approachability, access, and competence.
• Advocacy involved the athletic trainer (AT) representing the athlete's interests.
• Communication, approachability, access, and competence were identified as crucial for building empathetic patient-clinician relationships.

Conclusions:

• Empathy, demonstrated through advocacy, communication, and approachability, is vital for athletic trainers (ATs).
• Strong patient-clinician relationships, fostered by empathy, are essential for delivering effective patient-centered care.
• Enhancing empathy in athletic training can lead to better patient outcomes and satisfaction.