The Empathic Process and Misconceptions that Lead to Burnout in Healthcare Professionals. (4th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Villacieros, Marta; Olmos, Ricardo; Bermejo, José Carlos
• Is Part Of: Spanish journal of psychology. Volume 20(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-12-04
• Subjects: burnout, -- empathy, -- empathic process, -- empathy misconceptions, -- healthcare professionals; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150
• DOI: 10.1017/sjp.2017.66
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1138-7416

Abstract

Abstract: Empathy has been identified as a relevant variable in order to predict burnout in healthcare professionals. In addition, assertiveness and self-esteem have been considered relevant variables to develop empathic capacity. In the other hand, misconceptions surrounding empathy constitute a risk factor for burnout. Two adult samples ( N = 252 and N = 275) were used to explore and confirm the underlying structure of two questionnaires. The Exercise of Process of Empathy (EPE) scale (18 items) confirmatory factor analysis including 5 dimensions (cognitive and emotional comprehension, attention, clarity and assertiveness), showed reasonable goodness- of-fit indices χ 2 (130) = 269.63, p < .001; RMSEA = .069 90% CI [0.058 – 0.079]; CFI = .965; TLI = .959. Alpha coefficient resulted .848. Common Misconceptions (EH) of empathy scale (16 items) confirmatory factor analysis, including 3 dimensions (feeling, confluence and character misconceptions) also obtained reasonable goodness-of-fit indices χ 2 (101) = 250.59, p < .001; RMSEA = .075 90% CI [0.063 – 0.087]; CFI = .952; TLI = .943. Alpha coefficient for Character resulted .727 (5 items), for Confluence .764 (5 items) and for Feeling .822 (6 items). The SEM model's R 2 resulted .303, being EH (misconceptions) a risk factor ( b * = .171), EPE (empathy process) a protection factor ( b * = –.183). The model partially explains how misconceptions empathy process and self-esteem ( b * = –.334) relate to burnout syndrome in healthcare professionals; what is more, it heralds a potential means to prevent it.