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Published on: June 2, 2014
When does empathy help? Patient-perceived physician empathy and migraine severity
Natalia Skorupa1, Malgorzata Sobol1, Elżbieta Plucińska1
1Department of Psychology, University of Warsaw, ul. Banacha 2D, Warsaw, Poland.
Patient Education and Counseling
|July 22, 2026
Summary
Higher perceived physician empathy in migraine patients correlated with increased migraine frequency and disability. This suggests that patients with more severe symptoms may receive more attention, potentially influencing symptom reporting and experience.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychosomatic Medicine
Background:
- Migraine is a leading cause of disability globally.
- Psychosocial factors significantly influence migraine, but their link to patient-perceived clinician empathy is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between patient-perceived physician empathy and migraine frequency, pain intensity, and disability.
- To explore how communication styles might affect migraine patient experiences.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involved 131 migraine patients who completed diaries and validated questionnaires (MIDAS, CARE).
- Data collected over four weeks included headache occurrence, intensity, and disability.
- Patient-perceived physician empathy was measured using the Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure (CARE).
Main Results:
- Contrary to the initial hypothesis, greater perceived physician empathy was associated with higher migraine-related disability.
- Increased perceived empathy correlated with higher retrospective and diary-assessed migraine frequency.
- The findings suggest a complex interplay between empathy, symptom severity, and patient reporting.
Conclusions:
- Migraine patients with more severe symptoms might receive more physician attention, influencing their experience.
- Physician communication strategies focusing on coping strengths, rather than solely on limitations, may be beneficial.
- Further research is needed to confirm these hypotheses and guide clinical practice.
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