To evaluate the evolution of empathy over time in dental students; Evaluar la evolución de la empatía en el tiempo en estudiantes de odontología

Abstract

Objective: evaluate empathy and its dimensions in two different annual periods and determine the strengths and weaknesses observed in empathy and its dimensions. Material and methods: non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional study. The population was made up of Colombian dental students. The sample consisted of two cohorts: n=326 students, 100% of the population (cohort 2016) and n=207 students, 87.34% of the population (cohort 2022). Empathy was measured by the JES-HPS instrument. A confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and invariance was applied. Comparisons of empathy between cohorts were performed by factorial analysis of variance. Results. the three-dimensional theoretical model was met in both cohorts studied. Reliability levels were acceptable. No relevant statistical differences were found between the cohorts and a decline is observed in the second and fifth grades of empathy and dimensions in general. Conclusions. the values of empathy and its dimensions have remained unchanged over time and empathy is classified as “medium level.” As a consequence of the above, medium levels of empathy could be associated with a deficit in the ability to understand the subjectivity of thought. of the patient and, this situation, complicates a normal empathic attitude. © 2024 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.