Empathy training in health sciences: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Empathy is a multidimensional concept crucial for healthcare professionals.
• Evidence-based empathy training interventions require a guiding theoretical framework.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of different training modalities is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of experiential versus humanistic empathy training in healthcare professionals.
• To assess the improvement and long-term maintenance of empathic abilities.
• To determine the coherence between theoretical models and trained/evaluated empathy dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of six databases.
• Synthesis of data and risk of bias analysis using Equator Guidelines.
• Selection of twenty-three relevant articles.

Main Results:

• Experiential interventions demonstrated greater effectiveness compared to humanistic educational strategies.
• Many studies lacked robust theoretical frameworks, leading to inconsistencies in evaluating empathy dimensions.
• Middle-term interventions are recommended, though further research on training duration is needed.

Conclusions:

• Experiential training shows promise for enhancing empathy in healthcare settings.
• Theoretical grounding is critical for consistent and valid empathy assessment.
• Future research should focus on multicentre trials, specific intervention details, data triangulation, and monitoring.