Empathy in patient care: antecedents, development, measurement, and outcomes

Abstract

Empathy in Human Relationships.- Definitions and Conceptualization.- Human Connection in Health and Illness.- An Evolutionary Perspective, Psycho-Socio-Physiology, Neuroanatomy, and Heritability.- Psychodynamics and Development.- Measurement of Empathy in the General Population.- Empathy in Patient Care.- A Definition and Key Features of Empathy in Patient Care.- The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy.- The Interpersonal Dynamics in Clinician-Patient Relationships.- Empathy as Related to Sex, Personal Qualities, Clinical Competence, and Career Choice.- Patient Outcomes.- Enhancement of Empathy.- Parting Thoughts: A Paradigm of Empathy and Future Directions.