Empathy Is a Protective Factor of Burnout in Physicians: New Neuro-Phenomenological Hypotheses Regarding Empathy and Sympathy in Care Relationship

Abstract

Burnout is a multidimensional work-related syndrome that is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization—or cynicism—and diminution of personal accomplishment. Burnout particularly affects physicians. In medicine as well as other professions, burnout occurrence depends on personal, developmental-psychodynamic, professional, and environmental factors. Recently, it has been proposed to specifically define burnout in physicians as “pathology of care relationship.” That is, burnout would arise, among the above-mentioned factors, from the specificity of the care relationship as it develops between the physician and the patient. Accordingly, experimental studies and theoretical approaches have suggested that burnout and empathy, which is one of the most important skills in physicians, are closely linked. However, the nature of the relation between burnout and empathy remains not yet understood, as reflected in the variety of theoretical and contradictory hypotheses attempting to causally relate these two phenomena. Firstly, we here question the epistemological problem concerning the modality of the burnout-empathy link. Secondly, we hypothesize that considering the multidimensional features of both burnout and empathy, on one hand, and on the other hand, the distinction between empathy and sympathy enables to overcome these contradictions and, consequently, gives a better understanding of the relationship between burnout and empathy in physicians. Thirdly, we propose that clarifying the link between burnout, empathy and sympathy would enable developing specific training in medical students and continuous professional formation in senior physicians and would potentially contribute to the prevention of burnout in medical care.

Mediating effects of empathy on the association between nursing professional values and professional quality of life in Chinese female nurses: A cross‐sectional survey

“…To understand the factors influencing nurses' ProQOL and its potential mechanism plays a vital role in promoting the working experience among these vital caregivers. It has been demonstrated that both nursing professional values and empathy were associated with ProQOL in clinical nurses (Altun, ; Ferri, Guerra, Marcheselli, Cunico, & Lorenzo, ; Marilaf Caro et al, ; Thirioux, Birault, & Jaafari, ; Wagaman, Geiger, Shockley, & Segal, ). Empathy may mediate the association between nursing professional values and ProQOL in clinical nurses.…”

“…For clinical nurses, empathy is also an essential competence, because they must establish a relationship with their patients characterized by mutual trust when providing care (Coutinho, Silva, & Decety, ). High measured level of empathy has been found to be associated with tangible improvements in clinical outcomes (Del Canale et al, ; Yuguero, Marsal, Esquerda, & Soler‐Gonzalez, ) and meanwhile is beneficial for ProQOL in health personnel (Ferri et al, ; Marilaf Caro et al, ; Thirioux et al, ; Wagaman et al, ). It appears that both nursing professional values and empathetic ability play positive roles in preserving and enhancing nurses' ProQOL.…”

Professionalism and Occupational Well-Being: Similarities and Differences Among Latin American Health Professionals

“…It has been demonstrated in physicians that empathic relationships with their patients provide an intrinsically joyful reward that serves as a remedy for the stress associated to their profession (Zuger, 2004). Empathy has been also identified as a protective factor against the stress experienced by clinicians (Shamasundar, 1999), as a potential factor for their well being (Hyyppä et al, 1991), and a protective factor against burnout in physicians (Thirioux et al, 2016), in physicians-in-training (Park et al, 2016), in nurses (Yu et al, 2016), and in medical students (Hojat et al, 2015b). …”

Less direct patient care delivered by medical trainees by the end of a hematology‐oncology ward rotation: Association with empathy and related factors

“…With resident work hour restrictions and use of the electronic health record (EHR), direct patient care has decreased while indirect patient care (charting in the EHR and collaborating with colleagues) has increased in general . While empathy has salutary effects for patients that are known and appreciated, the direct patient consequences of decreased empathy among trainees are not well understood . Several factors have been associated with decreasing amount of empathy and may help to understand a change in time spent with patients in direct patient care while on a hematology‐oncology ward rotation.…”

“…15,16 While empathy has salutary effects for patients that are known and appreciated, the direct patient consequences of decreased empathy among trainees are not well understood. 17…”