Evaluation of the relationship between resilience and empathy in medical professionals using structural equation...

Research has demonstrated that resilience serves as a shield against negative experiences. Some studies have explored how resilience helps maintain physicians' empathetic behavior toward patients. However, these studies have not investigated how specific dimensions of resilience protect different aspects of empathy.

The aim of this study is to explore whether resilience can predict empathetic expression in Mexican physicians by analyzing how each dimension of resilience predicts each dimension of empathy.

The study population (N = 1,067) includes specialist and resident physicians who provide care at five hospitals of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS) Bienestar in Villahermosa, Mexico. The IMSS Bienestar is the country's public healthcare institution. The sample (n = 314, or 29.43% of the total population) comprises both male and female participants and is non-random, as participation is voluntary. Resilience was assessed using the Trait Scale, while empathy was measured with the Jefferson Empathy Scale for Health Professionals. Descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis, were calculated for each dimension of both constructs. Psychometric analyses were conducted, including confirmatory factor analysis, model fit testing, and invariance testing. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the predictive relationship between each dimension of resilience and each dimension of empathy.

The results revealed that both ecological and engineering resilience dimensions are positively associated with all dimensions of empathy. However, adaptive resilience showed a negative correlation with Compassionate Care and the "Walking in the patient's shoes" dimension of empathy.

Each dimension of resilience can predict the corresponding dimensions of empathy. This prediction helps identify the specific traits within each resilience dimension that are essential for fostering a protective response to negative events. It also highlights which traits, when lacking, may potentially reduce the overall expression of empathy among the physicians studied.