The relationship between burnout and empathy in physiotherapists: a cross-sectional study
Ó Rodríguez-Nogueira1, R Leirós-Rodríguez1, A Pinto-Carral1
1Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, SALBIS Research Group, Campus de Ponferrada, Universidad de León, Ponferrada, Spain.
Annals of Medicine
|April 4, 2022
Summary
Higher burnout in physiotherapists is linked to reduced empathy, impacting patient care. Years of experience may mitigate burnout, preserving empathetic capacity in these healthcare professionals.
Area of Science:
- Physiotherapy
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Limited research exists on empathy levels among physiotherapists.
- Professional burnout can significantly impair the quality of patient care and treatment effectiveness by diminishing empathy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between burnout, empathy, and sociodemographic factors in Spanish physiotherapists.
- To understand how burnout influences the empathetic capacity of physiotherapists.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional electronic survey was administered to 461 Spanish physiotherapists.
- The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Interpersonal Reactivity Index were used for assessment.
- Descriptive, bivariate, and linear regression analyses were conducted.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse association was found between burnout and empathy; higher burnout correlated with lower empathy.
- Increased years of work experience were associated with lower levels of burnout.
- Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization components of burnout were linked to reduced empathy and personal discomfort.
Conclusions:
- Burnout negatively impacts physiotherapists' empathy, potentially hindering therapeutic relationships.
- Understanding these associations is crucial for developing interventions to support physiotherapists and maintain high-quality care.
- Depersonalization specifically showed a negative association with perspective-taking ability.
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