The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students

Abstract Objective To analyze the relationship between empathy and its domains (i.e., affective and cognitive) and stress in medical students. Methods An online cross-sectional study with 543 medical students as respondents divided in three groups: pre-clinical cycle (n = 173), clinical cycle (n = 1...

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Main Authors: Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto, Julia Leles Bueno, Mariana Leles Bueno, Victor Oliveira Wercelens, Julia Guimarães Mauad Ydy, Roberta Perfeito Abrahim, Jed Montayre, Késia Maria Maximiano de Melo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-03-01
Series:Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-024-00336-9
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author Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto
Julia Leles Bueno
Mariana Leles Bueno
Victor Oliveira Wercelens
Julia Guimarães Mauad Ydy
Roberta Perfeito Abrahim
Jed Montayre
Késia Maria Maximiano de Melo
author_facet Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto
Julia Leles Bueno
Mariana Leles Bueno
Victor Oliveira Wercelens
Julia Guimarães Mauad Ydy
Roberta Perfeito Abrahim
Jed Montayre
Késia Maria Maximiano de Melo
author_sort Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective To analyze the relationship between empathy and its domains (i.e., affective and cognitive) and stress in medical students. Methods An online cross-sectional study with 543 medical students as respondents divided in three groups: pre-clinical cycle (n = 173), clinical cycle (n = 197), and internship (n = 173). The participants completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Perceived stress scale. Results The participants were mostly female (71.5%) with an average age of 23.54 (± 4.54) years old. Medical students in the clinical cycle, when compared to the ones in their pre-clinical cycle and internship, showed higher stress levels. Pre-clinical students presented higher levels of total empathy and its affective domain. The highest levels of empathy, especially affective empathy, were associated with higher stress levels in all three groups. Regarding cognitive empathy, there was no observed association with stress among the groups. Conclusions The levels of empathy and its affective domain correlated significantly with the stress indicators among students of different cycles (i.e., pre-clinical, clinical cycle, and internship).
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spelling doaj-art-8d0b09e6abc5444ebdd103c7e1a1188c2025-08-20T03:02:21ZengSpringerOpenPsicologia: Reflexão e Crítica1678-71532025-03-013811910.1186/s41155-024-00336-9The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical studentsMadson Alan Maximiano-Barreto0Julia Leles Bueno1Mariana Leles Bueno2Victor Oliveira Wercelens3Julia Guimarães Mauad Ydy4Roberta Perfeito Abrahim5Jed Montayre6Késia Maria Maximiano de Melo7Department of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, Faculdade de Medicina de , Av. Tenente Catão RoxoMedical Students, IMEPAC University CenterMedical Students, IMEPAC University CenterMedical Students, IMEPAC University CenterMedical Students, IMEPAC University CenterMedical Students, IMEPAC University CenterSchool of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityOccupational Therapy Department, Federal University of Santa MariaAbstract Objective To analyze the relationship between empathy and its domains (i.e., affective and cognitive) and stress in medical students. Methods An online cross-sectional study with 543 medical students as respondents divided in three groups: pre-clinical cycle (n = 173), clinical cycle (n = 197), and internship (n = 173). The participants completed the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, and the Perceived stress scale. Results The participants were mostly female (71.5%) with an average age of 23.54 (± 4.54) years old. Medical students in the clinical cycle, when compared to the ones in their pre-clinical cycle and internship, showed higher stress levels. Pre-clinical students presented higher levels of total empathy and its affective domain. The highest levels of empathy, especially affective empathy, were associated with higher stress levels in all three groups. Regarding cognitive empathy, there was no observed association with stress among the groups. Conclusions The levels of empathy and its affective domain correlated significantly with the stress indicators among students of different cycles (i.e., pre-clinical, clinical cycle, and internship).https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-024-00336-9Empathy; Medical studentsPsychological stressesSocial ability
spellingShingle Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto
Julia Leles Bueno
Mariana Leles Bueno
Victor Oliveira Wercelens
Julia Guimarães Mauad Ydy
Roberta Perfeito Abrahim
Jed Montayre
Késia Maria Maximiano de Melo
The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica
Empathy; Medical students
Psychological stresses
Social ability
title The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
title_full The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
title_fullStr The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
title_full_unstemmed The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
title_short The impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
title_sort impact of affective and cognitive empathy on stress in medical students
topic Empathy; Medical students
Psychological stresses
Social ability
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41155-024-00336-9
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