Description

The Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Health Profession Students’ version (JSPE-HPS) is an assessment tool that measures the empathy of health profession students. Its purpose is to evaluate students’ ability to understand and share the feelings of their patients, promoting a humanistic approach to healthcare.

Data Analysis and Use

The analysis of data derived from the JSPE-HPS includes:

Scoring: Participants respond to questions on a Likert scale, rating their empathy. Higher scores indicate greater empathy.

Statistical Analysis:

Descriptive Statistics: Calculation of mean and standard deviation to determine the overall empathy in a population.

Correlation: Examination of the relationship between empathy and factors such as year of study or specialty.

Comparative Analysis: Comparison of empathy levels between different groups of students.

Objective

The goal of the JSPE-HPS is to assess the empathy of health profession students, identify areas needing improvement, and contribute to the development of educational programs that promote empathy in their professional practice.

Calibration

The calibration of the JSPE-HPS involves adjusting the tool for different populations. This includes:

Cross-Cultural Studies: Testing the scale in various cultural contexts to ensure appropriateness and accuracy.

Reliability Analysis: Using the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to ensure the consistency of the questions.

Validity Testing: Confirming that the scale reflects the actual experiences of participants regarding empathy.

References

Hojat, M., & et al. (2001). The Jefferson Scale of Empathy: Development and Preliminary Psychometric Data. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61(2), 349-365.

Hojat, M., & et al. (2002). Empathy in Health Professions Education and Patient Care. New York: Springer.

Hojat, M., & et al. (2015). The Jefferson Scale of Empathy: A Review of the Literature. Journal of Academic Medicine, 90(9), 1181-1189.