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Relationship between emotional exhaustion and empathy in medical students from monteria - colombia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 August 2021

E.P. Ruiz Gonzalez ,
A.M. Romero Otalvaro ,
M.C. Crespi ,
M.N. Muñoz Argel  and
J.D. Velez Carvajal
E.P. Ruiz Gonzalez*
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Monteria, Colombia
A.M. Romero Otalvaro
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Monteria, Colombia
M.C. Crespi
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
M.N. Muñoz Argel
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Monteria, Colombia
J.D. Velez Carvajal
Affiliation:
Psychology, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Monteria, Colombia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Empathy is considered one of the most relevant characteristics in the interaction between the doctor and the patient, highlighting the need to enhance it from the professional training stage. However, some studies have established that high levels of empathy could generate emotional exhaustion (Boujut, Sultan, Woemer & Zenasni, 2012). However, if a certain type of empathy can lead to burnout, it must also be considered that an optimal empathic posture can, on the contrary, relieve stress and exhaustion.

Objectives

Establish the relationship between the level of emotional exhaustion and empathy in medical students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of correlational scope was conducted in 182 (n = 90) medical students. The cognitive and affective empathy test (López, et al., 2008) and the adaptation of the MBI instrument for the Colombian population (Barbato, Córdoba, González, Martínez & Tamayo, 2011) were used to assess emotional exhaustion

Results

Statistically significant correlations of positive magnitude were evidenced between the variables emotional exhaustion and cognitive empathy (Table 1)

Conclusions

It was possible to conclude that the higher levels of cognitive empathy (adoption of perspective) in medical students, also resulted in greater emotional exhaustion, revealing an inappropriate consequence of empathy, where professionals can excessively adopt the patient’s feelings, generating wear. It is essential to promote optimal levels of empathy, which are beneficial for both the patient and the doctor.

Keywords

empathyexhaustiondoctors in training
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 64 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 29th European Congress of Psychiatry , April 2021 , pp. S389
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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