Improving Empathy and Relational Skills

NCT01304030 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 2009P001599P001599
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 99
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Our research hypothesis is that residents who participate in the empathy and relational skills training modules will significantly improve in these skills as compared to a control group of residents who receive residency training as usual that includes the current standard training in the doctor-patient relationship. To evaluate this hypothesis, we will use a two-pronged approach to assessment. The first prong is the residents' self assessment of empathy and the second is from the patients' perspective.

Conditions

Empathy

Keywords

Empathy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Consultation and Relational Empathy Measure (CARE) measure

  At baseline: (1) Residents will complete the CARE measure (2) 10 patients in each resident's clinic will rate their encounter using the CARE Measure; (3) Residents will receive the Empathy and Relational Training Modules or residency training as usual. At the six-week endpoint: (4) residents will complete the CARE measure and (5) patients will complete the CARE measure after the clinic visit.

  Up to 5 weeks (this is an average)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Jefferson Empathy Scale Mehrabian Balanced Emotional Empathy Scale (BEES) (30 items) 2.Jefferson Empathy Scale (20 items 3. Neuroscience of Emotions Assessment 4. Ekman Facial Expression Decoding Assessment

  Prospective

Study Arms (2)

Experimental Group

EXPERIMENTAL

The experimental group receives Empathy Training. The control Group receives residency training as usual

Behavioral: Empathy Training Modules

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The control group receives residency training as usual

Behavioral: Residency Training as usual

Interventions

Empathy Training Modules BEHAVIORAL

The Empathy Training Modules utilize translational research in emotion expression basic science, physiology of emotions, decoding facial expressions and self-regulation skills as pertaining to management of medical and surgical patients.

Also known as: E.M.P.A.T.H.Y. (TM)

Experimental Group

Residency Training as usual BEHAVIORAL

Residents will receive their typical didactic and clinical education

Also known as: Residency Training

Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• All medical and surgical residents who are based at Massachusetts General Hospital will be eligible to participate in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Residents who are rotating at sites other then Massachusetts General Hospital Residents who are on rotations that do not include clinical care

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Massachusetts General Hospital: lead

Study Sites (1)

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 021114, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Riess H. Empathy in medicine--a neurobiological perspective. JAMA. 2010 Oct 13;304(14):1604-5. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1455. No abstract available.

  PMID: 20940387 BACKGROUND

• Riess H, Kelley JM, Bailey R, Konowitz PM, Gray ST. Improving empathy and relational skills in otolaryngology residents: a pilot study. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2011 Jan;144(1):120-2. doi: 10.1177/0194599810390897.

  PMID: 21493400 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Helen Riess, MD

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 19, 2011
• First Posted: February 25, 2011
• Study Start: February 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2010
• Study Completion: December 1, 2010
• Last Updated: February 25, 2011

Record last verified: 2011-02

Locations

US (1)