{"title":"The Impact of Empathy and Coping Traits on Psychological Responses: A Longitudinal Study on Medical and Nursing Students.","authors":"Taku Saito, Norihito Noguchi, Kotaro Shoji, Fumiko Waki, Masanori Nagamine","doi":"10.1007/s10880-026-10144-1","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Healthcare professionals are expected and motivated to engage empathetically with patients, their families, yet how different components of empathy, coping traits interact to shape psychological responses remains unclear. This study examined these relationships in medical, nursing students to inform tailored educational interventions METHODS: Participants who completed two surveys 2 years apart (30 medical students and 88 nursing students) were included. Empathy traits were assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, coping traits using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory, and psychological responses using the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures analyzed the impact of empathy and coping traits. Latent profile analysis (LPA) classified participants by empathy and coping traits.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Personal distress was significantly associated with increased secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout, and decreased compassion satisfaction. Empathic concern was associated with increased compassion satisfaction. Active coping and support seeking were associated with increased compassion satisfaction and reduced burnout, whereas indirect coping was associated with increased STS and burnout. LPA identified three distinct profiles of empathy and coping traits, showing significant differences in psychological responses.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Differences in empathy and coping traits influence psychological responses in medical and nursing students. Tailored interventions that consider these traits may be more effective.</p>","PeriodicalId":15494,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings","volume":" ","pages":"587-597"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13582342/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10880-026-10144-1","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/3/10 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: Healthcare professionals are expected and motivated to engage empathetically with patients, their families, yet how different components of empathy, coping traits interact to shape psychological responses remains unclear. This study examined these relationships in medical, nursing students to inform tailored educational interventions METHODS: Participants who completed two surveys 2 years apart (30 medical students and 88 nursing students) were included. Empathy traits were assessed using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, coping traits using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory, and psychological responses using the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures analyzed the impact of empathy and coping traits. Latent profile analysis (LPA) classified participants by empathy and coping traits.
Results: Personal distress was significantly associated with increased secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout, and decreased compassion satisfaction. Empathic concern was associated with increased compassion satisfaction. Active coping and support seeking were associated with increased compassion satisfaction and reduced burnout, whereas indirect coping was associated with increased STS and burnout. LPA identified three distinct profiles of empathy and coping traits, showing significant differences in psychological responses.
Discussion: Differences in empathy and coping traits influence psychological responses in medical and nursing students. Tailored interventions that consider these traits may be more effective.
期刊介绍：
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings is an international forum for the publication of peer-reviewed original papers related to all areas of the science and practice of psychologists in medical settings. Manuscripts are chosen that have a broad appeal across psychology as well as other health care disciplines, reflecting varying backgrounds, interests, and specializations. The journal publishes original research, treatment outcome trials, meta-analyses, literature reviews, conceptual papers, brief scientific reports, and scholarly case studies. Papers accepted address clinical matters in medical settings; integrated care; health disparities; education and training of the future psychology workforce; interdisciplinary collaboration, training, and professionalism; licensing, credentialing, and privileging in hospital practice; research and practice ethics; professional development of psychologists in academic health centers; professional practice matters in medical settings; and cultural, economic, political, regulatory, and systems factors in health care. In summary, the journal provides a forum for papers predicted to have significant theoretical or practical importance for the application of psychology in medical settings.
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