Search Results (69)

Background/Objectives: While the correlation between bodily states and cognitive processing has been extensively investigated concerning pain elaboration, little is known about how chronic, subjectively experienced pain (self-pain) following traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) affects embodied cognition, such as empathy for pain. This study aimed to determine whether individuals with SCI differ from healthy controls in these cognitive responses, and if such differences can be quantified through varying reaction times to pain-related and non-pain-related stimuli involving others. Methods: We assessed reactions to others’ pain through behavioral responses in a classification task involving 15 participants with SCI (13 men; age range 19–56 years) and 15 healthy controls (11 men; age range 25–48 years). Additionally, we measured general empathic dispositions using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and subjective pain intensity using a numeric rating scale following standard guidelines for neuropathic pain assessment. Results: The findings revealed that participants with SCI exhibited lower empathy levels (IRI: mean SCI = 55.06 ± 3.64) than healthy controls (IRI: mean HC = 67.6 ± 2.46), as measured through both cognitive and affective components. We found that higher chronic pain unpleasantness was associated with lower empathic dispositions (r = −0.63; p = 0.01) in participants with SCI. Compared to healthy controls, individuals with SCI exhibited a reduced empathic response when observing others in pain from a third-person perspective. Conclusions: These findings reveal an association between chronic pain following SCI and diminished empathic processing, offering new insights into the mechanisms underlying interpersonal reactivity after SCI. Full article

Children are not only concerned about fairness but also care for others. This study examined how experimentally induced empathic concern influences children’s responses to inequity, particularly when fairness considerations may conflict with empathy-driven motivations. A sample of 10- to 12-year-old children (N = 111, 62 boys, 49 girls) from China were randomly assigned to an empathic or non-empathic condition and completed multiple rounds of ultimatum and dictator games, acting as recipients and proposers. The results showed that children in the empathic concern condition were more likely to accept disadvantageous offers (F (1, 109) = 10.723, p = 0.001) and reject advantageous offers (F (1, 109) = 11.200, p = 0.001) than those in the non-empathic condition. Furthermore, in the dictator game, children in the empathic condition shared significantly more resources with the same protagonist (F (1, 109) = 110.740, p < 0.001). These findings suggest that empathic concern affects children’s inequity aversion and that empathic concern takes priority in guiding children’s inequity aversion when it conflicts with the fairness criterion. Moreover, our findings suggest that altruistic motivations potentially play a role in children’s responses to their inequity aversion. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sensory attenuation refers to the reduced perceptual intensity of self-generated stimuli and is considered a key marker of the sense of agency. While this phenomenon has been widely documented in individual contexts, less is known about how it operates during cooperative actions. In this study, we adopted a psychophysical approach to investigate sensory attenuation for auditory stimuli in both individual and interactive action contexts and examined the role of empathic traits in shaping the experience of agency. Methods: A two-forced choices perceptual judgement task with auditory stimuli was adopted in healthy participants (n = 57), who judged the loudness of tones generated either by themselves or another person, across individual and cooperative conditions. To control for the factor of gender that might potentially influence prosocial attitudes, only cisgender women were included in this study. Our findings confirmed sensory attenuation for self-generated sounds in cooperative actions. However, contrary to previous reports, we did not observe enhanced attenuation in interactive contexts; instead, other-generated sounds were perceived as louder when embedded in cooperative actions. Notably, higher levels of empathic concern and perspective-taking were associated with reduced sensory attenuation in individual contexts, suggesting that empathy may modulate perceived self–other boundaries in agency experience. Conclusions: These results challenge the view of sensory attenuation as a strict functional signature of self-agency and support a sensorimotor equivalence model, in which social and psychological variables shape the perception of action outcomes. This evidence is also supported by the convergence of neural networks involved in agency, perspective-taking, and empathy. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: In stillbirth, bereaved parents must be promptly taken in by healthcare staff, and their requests to understand what happened must be fully explained and discussed. Empathic and open communication with the parents is fundamental in avoiding time-consuming lawsuits for investigating medical liability. Herein, we describe a case of stillbirth in which many elements exemplify potential concerns, either from a parental or judicial context. All these hypothetical questions will be addressed and discussed. Case presentation: A female stillbirth was vaginally delivered at 41 weeks of gestation after induction of labor. The baby was normally grown for gestational age, and the umbilical cord examination disclosed a length of 90 cm (75 cm attached to the placenta and 15 cm to the fetus), two tight knots, and a furcate insertion into the chorionic plate. Histologically, non-occlusive luminal thrombosis was found in the umbilical vein, extended to the cord insertion, and was in a few chorionic vessels. The knots showed myonecrosis in the vascular wall, widespread in the first one and more focal in the second, indicating prolonged contraction. Conclusions: The case we described, though fully diagnostically explained, raised many hypothetical questions that might have been brought up either in a judicial context or during communication with the parents of the autopsy results. Frequent questions may include what the cause of death was, when the baby died, if the death might have been avoidable, and, in the latter, potential medical liability. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between public token acts of online support and prosocial behavioral intentions, shedding light on the potential mediating influences that contribute to this intricate interplay. It focuses on the determinants of prosocial behavioral intentions toward three specific groups of immigrants who came to Israel after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022: asylum seekers from Ukraine, immigrant citizens repatriated from Ukraine, and immigrant citizens repatriated from Russia. The data were collected via a survey of 847 social media users in Israel. This study revealed that the higher the frequency of token acts of online support for prosocial content in social media, the higher perspective-taking and emotional concerns were reported by respondents. High emotional concern, in turn, was associated with higher prosocial behavioral intentions. Summing up, the more actively people engage with prosocial content on social media, the higher their prosocial behavioral intentions are. Full article

This study examines the complex effects of empathic concern on mental health and behavioral manifestations and the potential indirect paths through excessive adaptation. A cross-sectional design with 1355 participants was employed. Empathic concern, excessive adaptation, prosocial behaviors, reactive aggression, depression, and positive mental health were assessed using established scales. Structural equation modeling and Bayesian linear regression were applied to analyze the paths. For direct paths, empathic concern positively predicted prosocial behaviors and positive mental health, whereas it was negatively related to depression and reactive aggression. For indirect paths, excessive adaptation was found to mediate the relationship between empathic concern and the outcome variables with the exception of positive mental health. By elucidating the mediating role of excessive adaptation, the results herein not only deepen our understanding of the dual effect of empathic concern on mental health and behavioral manifestations but also offer important insights for the medical and educational fields. Full article

There are several moments in the school context when students share their experiences and concerns with teachers. Empathy is essential to provide quality listening in order to understand and give students a voice. Consequently, teachers’ perceptions of how they listen to their students and the benefits of empathetic listening in the classroom are studied. The analysis involves 38 responses from primary school teachers, responding to six questions based on a review of the concept of empathic listening in primary education. Data analysis was carried out using Iramuteq software. The findings indicate that teachers engage in empathic listening with students, recognizing their role in the process, identifying the characteristics and phases of such listening, highlighting the most recurrent topics, and mentioning the moments and places where it occurs and the benefits it brings. Empathetic listening is fundamental to establishing a quality teacher–student relationship. It fosters a safe environment in which students feel free to be and express themselves, helping them to manage different day-to-day situations. Full article

In today’s dynamic organizational environments, interpersonal conflict and social exclusion can significantly impact employee behavior and organizational effectiveness. This study explores the complex interplay between interpersonal conflict, workplace ostracism, and interpersonal deviance in Jordan’s public sector, emphasizing the moderating role of supervisors’ active empathic listening. Using the stressor–emotion model, conservation of resources (COR) theory, and conflict expression (CE) framework, this study examined these relationships through a two-wave survey design. Data were collected from 501 public sector employees using validated scales, and an analysis was conducted using SPSS and AMOS, with structural equation modeling employed for hypothesis testing. The findings reveal that interpersonal conflict strongly predicts workplace ostracism and interpersonal deviance. Workplace ostracism mediates the relationship between conflict and deviance, while supervisors’ active empathic listening moderates these effects, reducing the likelihood of deviant behaviors. These results underscore the importance of fostering empathetic leadership and inclusive workplace environments to mitigate conflict’s negative impact. This research contributes to understanding workplace dynamics by highlighting the critical role of supervisors in moderating conflict and ostracism. The findings have practical implications for public sector organizations. Beyond training programs, supervisors can implement active empathic listening in practical settings by regularly holding one-on-one meetings in which they actively listen to employee concerns, using verbal and non-verbal cues to show engagement, asking open-ended questions to encourage deeper discussion, reflecting employee emotions to validate their feelings, and following up on issues raised to demonstrate concrete action based on what they have heard; this creates a culture of open communication in which employees feel heard and valued, leading to increased employee engagement and improved problem-solving abilities. Full article

Examining remote virtual audiences is a vital part of understanding social experiences in modern human–computer interaction contexts. Doing so raises intriguing questions about how these mediated connections relate to emotional and physiological states. The vagus nerve is central to socioemotional processing and physiological well-being, with its activation represented as vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV). We examine how participants’ social connectedness to virtual partners relates to their experience of socioemotional competences and psychophysiological states while observing streamed gameplay. In this experimental study with 48 participants, we compared self-reported empathy, empathic concern, and continuously measured vmHRV (from a PPG sensor) during different types of gameplay. The results revealed that viewers who felt greater social connectedness to remote partners also felt more empathic concern (quantitative detail) and had significantly heightened vmHRV (quant detail) across all conditions compared to those who felt lower connectedness. These findings reveal that stronger feelings of connectedness to remote partners are associated with enhanced socioemotional competences and physiological well-being. This research highlights the intertwined nature of social connectedness, empathy, and physiological health, providing valuable insights for designing virtual platforms that foster deeper interpersonal connections and promote well-being. Full article

Background/Objectives: Early childhood intervention professionals have higher rates of work-related stress and burnout compared to other health professionals. Furthermore, this is exacerbated by exposure to negative emotions, the stigma associated with mental health, and even the stress experienced by families due to the impact of having a child with a developmental disability. The aim of this study was to determine whether emotional intelligence and empathy were able to predict resilience in early childhood care professionals. Methods: The total sample consisted of 139 people (128 women and 11 men, with a mean age of 32.69 and SD 9.72) who were divided into two groups: high resilience (M = 35.85; SD = 3.64) and low resilience (M = 20.74; SD = 3.84). Results: The results showed significant differences between the two groups in self and others’ emotional appraisal, use and regulation of emotion, perspective taking, and personal distress, with a positive relationship between resilience and all sub-dimensions of emotional intelligence and perspective taking and a negative relationship with personal distress. In addition, a predictive model of resilience in early childhood professionals was found with empathic concern, personal distress, and use of emotion. Conclusions: This study is useful to start investigating psychological aspects related to early intervention and its professionals in order to consolidate a resilient workforce. Full article

Introduction: This qualitative literature review explored the intersection of art, creativity, and the nurse–patient relationship in the context of oncology nursing. It delved into the perceptions and reflections of nurses as captured by Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) analysis from two specialized nursing databases. Methods: The protocol was registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF) Platform. A comprehensive search was conducted in CINAHL, the British Nursing Database, and the Nursing & Allied Health Database, using keywords related to art, cancer, creativity, nursing, and relationships. The extracted qualitative research studies were then analyzed using GAI to identify key themes and insights. Results: The analysis revealed profound considerations regarding the role of nurses in oncology and palliative patient care. Nurses acknowledged the spiritual dimension through religious and spiritual practices, while emphasizing authentic presence and empathic communication. They actively addressed patient concerns, adapted to challenges, and engaged in continuous professional development. The insights from the GAI interpretation underscored the significance of empathy, creativity, and artistry in nurturing meaningful nurse–patient connections. Conclusions: The GAI-enabled exploration provided valuable insights into several dimensions of care, emphasizing the importance of spiritual sensitivity, empathic communication, and ongoing professional growth. As technology and human care converge, integrating artistry into the nurse–patient relationship could enhance patient experiences, improve outcomes, and enrich the oncology nursing practice. Full article

This study aimed to explore the nature of contextual differences in child–parent attachment relationships and examine how these experiences relate to children’s psychological outcomes. A theoretically informed qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 15 participants across four groups of Taiwanese youths and parents, representing different contextual attachment combinations. Data were analyzed using a hybrid thematic analysis approach, integrating both inductive and deductive methods. The findings revealed two key characteristics of secure attachment across contexts: (1) parental timely and sensitive responsiveness enhances children’s openness to share personal thoughts, and (2) parental empathic and genuine concern fosters children’s empathy. Conversely, insecure attachment across contexts was marked by (1) inappropriate parental responses reducing children’s willingness to share their inner feelings, and (2) parental lack of empathy frustrating children and discouraging communication. In addition, parental beliefs about children’s achievement behaviors (e.g., expectation primarily centered on academic achievement and viewing athletic achievement as an alternative pathway to higher education) and parenting practices (e.g., performance- vs. mastery-oriented achievement goals, conditional negative regard, and psychological control through invalidating feelings and demeaning the child) significantly influenced children’s psychological outcomes, particularly in terms of basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration (autonomy and competence) across academic and sports domains. These findings advance our theoretical understanding of contextual attachment dynamics and provide practical insights for fostering optimal parenting strategies, particularly in academic and sport-related contexts. Full article

(1) Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a pervasive issue, particularly among adolescents. Its prevalence is still high despite intervention efforts, especially for younger generations. Empathy and sexism are factors linked with IPV that have shown gender differences. This study focuses on how gender moderates the association of empathy and sexist attitudes among adolescents in Spain; (2) Methods: A two-stage stratified cluster sampling method for collecting data from 516 adolescents (219 boys, 297 girls) aged 12–18 years was used. Participants completed the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Hierarchical multiple regression analyzed the moderating role of gender in the relation between empathy and ambivalent sexism; (3) Results: Boys exhibited higher sexism levels than girls. Perspective taking negatively predicted hostile sexism. Empathic concern positively predicted hostile and benevolent sexism. Significant gender-specific patterns emerged: more empathic concern was linked with increased hostile sexism in boys; higher perspective taking was linked with increased benevolent sexism in boys, but was lower in girls; (4) Conclusions: There is a complex interplay among empathy, gender, and sexism, suggesting that IPV prevention programs should be tailored differently for boys and girls by considering broader socio-political contexts, addressing traditional gender norms, and promoting gender equality. Full article

The occupational environment may affect one’s psychophysical health by leveraging both external workplace stressors and individual psychological responses. We developed a comprehensive questionnaire to assess occupational stress among postgraduate medical trainees, investigating both situational and personal aspects. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the constructs captured by the questionnaire, and reliability was assessed by estimating Cronbach’s alpha. Construct-specific scores were computed, and their correlation with established pre-validated scales (criterion validation) was assessed. Four factors—“stress”, “coping”, “empathy”, and “trauma”—explained 50% of data variability and demonstrated satisfactory overall internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.76). Significant correlations were found between the “stress” score and the “emotional exhaustion” component of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) (r = −0.76), the “coping” score and the “positive attitudes” component of the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE) (r = 0.46), and the “empathy” score with the “empathic concern” (r = 0.52), “fantasy” (r = 0.41), and “perspective taking” (r = 0.45) components of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). No significant differences in scores were found in terms of gender or medical specialization. This study suggests that the SCOPE questionnaire may be a promising tool for assessing workplace stress and psychological responses among medical residents. Full article

Background: Hemophilia is a rare X-linked bleeding disorder. Prophylaxis has improved outcomes, but there are still unmet needs to be addressed. The aim of this study was to develop a patient journey in pediatric patients with hemophilia, a visual tool that illustrates patients’ relationship with the healthcare provider through time useful for identifying patient needs, potential concerns (“pain points”), and gaps in care. Methods: qualitative study in a pediatric hemophilia unit using a human-centered design methodology. First stage: discover and empathize: (a) semi-structured interviews to patients/families and stakeholders; (b) observation techniques (“shadowing”) to patients/families and professionals. Second stage: analyzing the collected information to create the patient journey. Results: A preliminary “clinical journey” was built using information from eight interviews with professionals from the interdisciplinary hemophilia team. Interviews with patient association representatives, 13 patients/families, and six “shadowing” techniques with patients and professionals were used to compare the “clinical journey” with the patient’s reported experience. Main “pain points” were detected before diagnosis, at diagnosis, during assimilation, at treatment initiation, during training, and when patients start asking about their condition. The empowerment process was detected as a potential moment to improve patient/family experiences. Conclusions: The patient journey helps to better understand patient/family experiences related to the disease in different scenarios. Caregivers and patient learning and empowerment processes are significant moments where the interdisciplinary team should focus to offer valuable solutions to improve outcomes. Further research is required in this area, particularly empirical research to amend or confirm the suggested patient journey. Full article