Empathy in Korean psychiatric residents

Abstract

Introduction: This study investigated the relationship between empathy and grades, marital status and personality in psychiatric residents. Methods: We sent a questionnaire package to 592 psychiatric residents in 82 psychiatric residency training hospitals. The questionnaire package collected socio-demographic data, and included the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, HP-version, Korean edition (JSE-HP-K), and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Results: Fourth-year residents had significantly higher scores on the JSE-HP-K than 1st-year residents. Marital status and empathy had significant correlation. Married residents showed significantly higher scores on the JSE-HP-K. There were no significant differences in empathy with regard to age, sex, motivation towards medical science (entering medical school and psychiatry) and club activity. There was no significant correlation between subscales of the TCI and JSE-HP-K score. Discussion: These results suggest that empathy is associated with marital status and that psychiatry residency program contributes incrementally to empathy for residents.