Does medical students' personality have an impact on their intention to show empathic behavior?

Several studies have demonstrated a correlation between specific personal traits and empathy. However, it is not clear if persons with certain personality traits lack the intent to show empathic behavior or if other factors independent of their intent are affecting their empathic behavior. To answer this question, we asked 132 medical students to fill out questionnaires evaluating the General Intention to Show Empathic Behavior (GISEB) and the five personality traits measured by NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI).

Transference and countertransference: A review.

Originally a psychodynamic concept, the therapeutic relationship (also therapeutic alliance, helping alliance or simply alliance) has become a pan-theoretical model for the professional relationship between a therapist and his or her client (Kivlighan, 1995). With the development of this concept in the latter half of the 20th century, psychotherapeutic theory and practice saw a paradigm shift away from strict adherence to technique with little room for responsive, individual behavior from the therapist and toward the "authentic" human relationship at the core of therapy. This meant that more consideration was given to the idea of mutual influence from patient and therapist to the success of therapy (Safran & Muran, 2006).

Empathy in Psychoanalysis and Medical Education - what can we learn from each other?

Background: Several research areas, including medical education (ME), focus on empathy as an important topic in interpersonal relationships. This focus is central to the use of communication skills related to empathy and even more crucial to provide information in a way that makes patients feel more involved in the treatment process. Psychoanalysis (PA) provides its initial concept of empathy based on affective aspects including findings from neuroscience and brain research.

Psychiatrists' emotional reactions: Useful for precise diagnosis in adolescence?

Therapist response (countertransference) can be defined as the range of emotions a clinician experiences when interacting with a patient. Previous research has shown that this reaction plays an important role in the establishment of the therapeutic relationship, and that certain psychiatric disorders are systematically related to strong countertransference reactions in clinicians. For this study, 30 videotaped sessions were retrospectively analyzed by one observer using the Therapist Response Questionnaire (TRQ).

Dimensions of Activity in Countertransference and Therapist Reactions: Therapist Reactions During Sessions with Depressed Patients.

Objectives: This paper presents the interaction structure between the therapist's countertransference and the patient's affect based on identified dimensions of how therapists feel and react during sessions with depressed patients.

Methods: 639 sessions were audio-recorded and rated by trained raters. These recordings were obtained from the Munich Psychotherapy Study and analyzed with the PQS, the AREQ, and the TRQ/CTQ.

Transcendence, religion and spirituality in medicine: Medical students' point of view.

To explore how medical students-the doctors of tomorrow-reflect upon meeting the spiritual needs of their patients, and whether they have reflected on their own religious or spiritual beliefs, or not. The study also investigates to what extent the students feel comfortable with addressing spiritual issues in their patient care, and whether they feel this is beyond their role as medical doctors.A self-administered questionnaire was developed.

Significance of gender in the attitude towards doctor-patient communication in medical students and physicians.

Background: Gender-specific differences in the attitudes towards doctor-patient communication among medical students and physicians were assessed.

Methods: A total of 150 medical students and 51 physicians from different departments took part in the study. The association, attitude and experiences regarding doctor-patient communication were assessed with a series of tools and questionnaires.