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. 2020 Feb 12:2020:9379756.
doi: 10.1155/2020/9379756. eCollection 2020.

Physicians' Self-Assessed Empathy and Patients' Perceptions of Physicians' Empathy: Validation of the Greek Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy

Vasiliki Katsari  1 , Athina Tyritidou  1 , Philippe-Richard Domeyer  1
Affiliations

Physicians' Self-Assessed Empathy and Patients' Perceptions of Physicians' Empathy: Validation of the Greek Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy

Vasiliki Katsari et al. Biomed Res Int. .

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to (i) translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy questionnaire for the Greek population (Gr-JSPPPE) and (ii) estimate physicians' self-assessed empathy and patients' perceptions of physicians' empathy, investigate their relationship, and assess their predictors.

Methods: A total of 189 patients and 17 physicians from an internal medicine clinic took part in the study. A composite questionnaire was administered to the patients, consisting of (1) sociodemographic items, (2) hospitalization-related questions, (3) the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, (4) the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), (5) the EQ-5D-5L Questionnaire, (6) the Gr-JSPPPE, and (7) the Visual Analog Scale for pain. The physicians' composite questionnaire comprised (1) sociodemographic items, (2) the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire, and (3) the Toronto Composite Empathy Scale (TCES). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the Gr-JS PPPE. Univariate comparisons were performed between (a) empathy measures and (b) sociodemographic and health-related measures of both groups; multivariate regression analysis for the Gr-JSPPPE adjusting for baseline confounders was executed.

Results: Statistically significant negative correlations were found between the Gr-JSPPPE mean score and the TCES personal/cognitive, professional/cognitive, and professional/emotional subscales. Female sex, being married, duration of employment in current post, and physicians' EQ-5D index score emerged as important predictors of increased physician empathy. Patients' EQ-VAS "thermometer" scale was significantly associated with the Gr-JSPPPE total score at the multivariate level.

Conclusion: The Gr-JSPPPE is a psychometrically sound tool to assess patient perceptions of physician empathy. Physician empathy assessed by the self-reported scale is inversely associated with patient perceptions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Path diagram for the confirmatory factor analysis with standardized regression estimates and squared multiple correlations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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