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Cited by 111Empathy and Medical EducationHealthcare professionals’ stress and burnoutPersonality Traits and Psychology

Compassionate-empathic physicians: Personality traits and social-organizational factors that enhance or inhibit this behavior pattern

Carmel, Sara, Glick, Seymour M.·1996·Social Science & Medicine
DOI 10.1016/0277-9536(95)00445-9
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Abstract

Compassionate-empathic physicians (CEPs) are desired by patients, but rarely found in medical settings. The purpose of this study was to promote our understanding of this gap by determining personal characteristics that distinguish CEPs from other physicians, and organizational factors that might enhance or inhibit physicians' compassionate-empathic behavior (CEB). In the first stage of the study, three groups of physicians who differed in their compassionate-empathic pattern of behavior toward patients were identified by a sociometric questionnaire distributed to 324 physicians in a general hospital. In the second stage, almost all of these physicians (N = 308) were asked to fill out a self administered structured questionnaire, and 214 (69.5%) responded. Comparisons among the three groups show that the physicians identified as CEPs, more than other physicians, are younger, have fewer years in medical practice, and score higher on pro-social, non-stereotypic attitudes toward patients and on empathy measures. Their self-esteem is, however, similar to that of the non-CEPs. The CEPs express similar levels of satisfaction with work on most dimensions, but they report more emotional exhaustion (burnout) than other physicians. A consensus among all physicians was found with regard to two rank orders: (a) the important qualities for being "a good physician"; and (b) the important qualities for being promoted in the hospital. However, while empathic behavior was considered the most important quality for being "a good physician", it was ranked as the least important for being promoted in the hospital. The conclusions can serve as a scientific base for improving methods of selection of medical students, and for re-evaluating the existent criteria for promoting medical staff in general hospitals.

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  • Empathy has been shown to decline over the course of medical training and the course of physicians' medical careers, suggesting that interventions to increase empathy might need to be repeated over time to be effective.

    “Unfortunately, empathy has been shown to decline over the course of medical training91–94 and the course of physicians’ medical careers,85 suggesting that interventions to increase empathy might need to be repeated over time to be effective.”

    From Reducing Racial Bias Among Health Care Providers: Lessons from Social-Cognitive Psychology (2007) · cites this paper as [85]

  • One study found that physicians rated as empathetic/compassionate by their peers had less stereotypic attitudes toward patients than physicians classified as low on empathy.

    “Similarly, one study found that physicians rated as “empathetic/compassionate” by their peers had less stereotypic attitudes toward patients than physicians classified as low on empathy.85”

    From Reducing Racial Bias Among Health Care Providers: Lessons from Social-Cognitive Psychology (2007) · cites this paper as [85]

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Authors
Carmel, S., & Glick, S. M.
Affiliations
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
ORCID
Carmel, Sara
Venue
Social Science & Medicine
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
1996-10
Volume
43
Issue
8
Pages
1253-1261
ISSN
0277-9536 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/0277-9536(95)00445-9
OpenAlex
W2016292373
Cited by
111
References
71
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 6
FWCI
0.94
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Social Science & Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Empathy and Medical Education
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
physician empathy, personality traits, self-esteem, emotional exhaustion, burnout, job satisfaction, organizational factors, medical student selection, physician-patient relationship
MeSH terms
Adult, Burnout, Professional, Empathy, Female, Humans, Israel, Job Satisfaction, Male, Middle Aged, Personality, Personnel Management, Physician-Patient Relations, Self Concept, Social Behavior, Socioeconomic Factors, Organizational Culture

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