The effectiveness of empathy training in health care: a meta-analysis of training content and methods

The meta-analysis examined the question of whether empathy training is effective in health care and whether specific training content and methods can be found to account for its effectiveness.

We included 13 out of 50 studies (total N = 1315) that fulfilled the search criteria. R version 4.0.5 with the esc, meta, metafor, and dmetar packages and SPSS28 were used to conduct the meta-analysis based on the random-effects model. The effect sizes were calculated using Hedge`s g, and heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q. In addition, the multicollinearity of the moderators was checked.

The overall effect size (Hedge´s g = 0.58, s = 0.10, p = 0.00) indicated a moderate effect of empathy training. There was a significant heterogeneity (I² = 76.9%, Q = 84.82, p=0.00), thus we examined whether individual training methods have influenced effect sizes, which could not be confirmed (F _(8,4) = 0.98, p = 0.55). The same applied to the training contents (F _(6,6) = 0.27, p = 0.93).

The present study showed that empathy training could be effective. This confirmed previous findings and supported the use of such training. However, according to our results, no significant moderators could be found, i.e., the training contents or methods did not contribute to the effect sizes. For meaningful findings, a comparison of different training components should definitely be made, and it should be investigated whether empathy training spread over a period of time is more effective and sustainable than one-time training.