Using social media and focused learning activities to impact self-efficacy of empathy

Empathy is a component of emotional intelligence that is critical for healthcare professionals. Intentional learning activities utilizing social media platforms were developed to enhance student growth in self-efficacy of empathy and to assess how the incorporation of social media impacts pharmacy students' empathy and self-efficacy through self-reflection.

Activities utilizing social media were implemented in a pharmacy skills lab course. This included following a social media story, focused classroom instruction, and writing personal reflections. Initial surveys assessed baseline empathy and self-efficacy. Post and "think back" surveys at the end of the semester re-assessed empathy and self-efficacy. Reflection assignments were designed to allow students to further self-reflect, and their responses provided qualitative data.

Data was analyzed for 138 students in the fall semester of study year 1 (SY1) and 111 students in the fall semester of study year 2 (SY2). Overall, student empathy significantly decreased in both study years. However, student self-efficacy demonstrated a non-significant increase in SY1 and a significant increase in SY2. The "think-back" survey results demonstrated a significant increase in total self-efficacy for nine of the ten individual constructs. Qualitative findings supported perceived areas of growth.

Although challenging to develop and assess empathy, social media can be an avenue for empathy skill development. This approach can easily be adapted by other schools of pharmacy and health professional programs to further develop self-efficacy regarding empathy.