Can communication skills training improve empathy? A six-year longitudinal study of medical students in Japan

Abstract

Background: Empathy is an important component of overall clinical competence; thus, enhancing empathy in medical education is essential for quality patient care.

Aim: This longitudinal study was designed to address the following questions: 1. Can a targeted educational program in communication skills training enhance empathy in medical students? and 2. Can such a program have a sustained effect?

Methods: Study participants included 116 students who entered Okayama University Medical School in 2011. Students participated in a communication skills training program aimed to enhance their empathy, and completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) five times: at the beginning of medical school, prior to participation in the program, immediately after the program, and in last years of medical school. A total of 69 students, representing 59% of the cohort, completed the JSE in all five test administrations.

Results: Students’ total scores on the JSE and its two factors (Perspective Taking and Compassionate Care) increased significantly (p < 0.001) after participation in the communication skills training program. However, the program did not have a sustained effect.

Conclusions: Targeted educational programs to enhance empathy in medical students can have a significant effect; however, additional reinforcements may be needed for a sustained effect.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Tatsuya Kanamori, MD, Masaru Sato MD, Tomoko Kawabata, MD, PhD, Sanae Teshigawara, MD, PhD, and Yoko Kurahashi for their contribution to the management of the workshop. We would also like to thank Jonathan Cass for his contribution to data management, and Dorissa Bolinski for her editorial help. The study was approved by the Okayama University research ethics committee.

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Glossary

Empathy: In the context of health professions education and patient care empathy is defined as predominantly a cognitive (as opposed to affective/emotional) attributes that involved understanding (rather than feeling) of patient’s experiences, pain, suffering, and concerns combined with a capacity to communicate this understanding and an intention to help (Hojat 2016, p. 74).

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported, in part, by funding to Dr. Kataoka from the Mext Kakenhi grant number [25460623], and in part by a grant to Dr. Gonnella from the Noguchi Medical Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.

Notes on contributors

Hitomi Kataoka

Hitomi Kataoka, MD, PhD, is a Professor at the Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Toshihide Iwase

Toshihide Iwase, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Hiroko Ogawa

Hiroko Ogawa, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Sabina Mahmood

Sabina Mahmood, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the Admission Center, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan.

Masaru Sato

Masaru Sato, MD, is a Professor at the Department of Primary Care and Medical Education, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.

Jennifer DeSantis

Jennifer DeSantis, MEd, is a senior research study analyst, Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mohammadreza Hojat

Mohammadreza Hojat, PhD, is research professor of psychiatry and human behavior and director of Jefferson Longitudinal Study of Medical Education, Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care and Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Joseph S. Gonnella

Joseph S. Gonnella, MD, is a distinguished Professor of Medicine, Emeritus Dean, and Founder of the Center for Research in Medical Education and Health Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.