Table 3 Examples of statements on the revised Jefferson Scale of Empathy (student version) showing differences between groups for questionnaire items pertaining to influence versus items pertaining to empathy
From: Art-making in a family medicine clerkship: how does it affect medical student empathy?
Art-making | Problem-solving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pre n = 48 | Post n = 48 | Difference | Pre n = 58 | Post n = 58 | Difference | |
Items pertaining to influence | ||||||
1) Physicians' understanding of their patients' feelings and the feelings of their patient's families does not influence medical or surgical treatment.* | 5.48 | 5.13 | −0.35 | 5.72 | 4.97 | −0.76 |
8) Attentiveness to patient's personal experiences does not influence treatment outcomes.* | 5.48 | 5.11 | −0.37 | 5.55 | 5.43 | −0.12 |
11) Patient's illnesses can be cured only by medical or surgical treatment; therefore, physician's emotional ties with their patients do not have a significant influence in medical or surgical treatment.* | 5.67 | 5.06 | −0.61 | 5.62 | 5.53 | −0.09 |
14) I believe that emotion has no place in the treatment of medical illness.* | 5.88 | 5.38 | −0.50 | 5.81 | 5.76 | −0.05 |
18) Physicians should not allow themselves to be influenced by strong personal bonds between their patients and their family members.* | 3.50 | 3.75 | 0.25 | 2.98 | 3.55 | 0.57 |
Items pertaining to empathy | ||||||
9) Physicians should try to stand in their patient's shoes when providing care to them. | 5.85 | 5.73 | −0.13 | 5.71 | 5.57 | −0.14 |
15) Empathy is a therapeutic skill without which the physician's success is limited. | 5.50 | 5.31 | −0.19 | 5.29 | 5.40 | 0.10 |
17) Physicians should try to think like their patients in order to render better care. | 5.10 | 5.02 | −0.08 | 5.07 | 5.16 | 0.09 |
20) I believe that empathy is an important therapeutic factor in medical treatment | 5.67 | 5.67 | 0.00 | 5.81 | 5.90 | 0.09 |