Changes in Empathy of Nursing College Students: A Cohort Longitudinal Study

Purpose: This study aimed to identify changes in sub-areas of empathy over the 4 years from admission to graduation of nursing college students.Methods: This descriptive survey study was conducted using a longitudinal cohort design. The participants in this study were 158 South Korean nursing students attending a university in Chungcheongbuk Province or Gyeonggi Province, all of whom passed the certification evaluation for the 4-year nursing educational institute. Data from 126 participants were analyzed. The level of empathy was measured five times from March 2012 to December 2015. Empathy was identified using a multi-dimensional measurement tool consisting of four sub-constructs of cognitive and emotional aspects: (1) perspective taking, (2) fantasy, (3) empathic concern, and (4) personal distress. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25 to provide descriptive statistics of the participants’ general characteristics and empathy level and to perform repeated-measures analysis of variance for the sub-constructs empathy.Results: Perspective taking (F=13.08, p<.001) and personal distress (F=5.24, p=.001), but not fantasy or empathic concern, showed significant differences over time.Conclusion: Cognitive empathy (perspective taking) and emotional empathy (personal distress) improved. Intervention programs should be developed to maintain and strengthen changes in empathy in nursing education.