Physician Empathy as Perceived by Parents of Children with Psychiatric Disorders: A Quantitative Analysis of Pediatric Consultations

TL;DR

Parents of children with psychiatric disorders generally perceive physicians as empathetic, but empathy may be lower for children with autism spectrum disorder.

Contribution

This study quantitatively evaluates parent-perceived physician empathy in pediatric psychiatry and identifies factors associated with empathy levels.

Findings

The mean empathy score was 34.5 out of 40, with 65% of parents rating physicians as highly empathic.

Parents of children with ASD reported lower empathy compared to those with anxiety or depression.

Empathy was associated with a calmer state at the end of the visit and increased modestly with child age.

Abstract

Background: Clinician empathy is associated with family satisfaction and reduced anxiety, but quantitative data from the parents’ perspective in pediatric psychiatry are limited. Objective: To assess parent-perceived physician empathy in pediatric psychiatry consultations and explore its associations with clinical and demographic factors. Methods: Cross-sectional, consecutive sample of parents attending an outpatient pediatric psychiatry clinic (n = 163 parents). A 10-item behavioral empathy scale (range 10–40) was used. Analyses included reliability testing, group comparisons, correlations, OLS regression, and exploratory PCA. Results: The mean total empathy score was 34.5 (SD 4.2); most parents rated physicians as highly empathic (65%). Parents of children with ASD reported lower empathy compared to those with anxiety/depression. Empathy increased modestly with child age and was associated with a calmer state at the end of the visit. PCA suggested exploratory evidence of potential subdimensions, including child-centered communication and listening/facilitation. Conclusions: Parent-perceived empathy in this sample was generally high; however, behaviors that directly involve and facilitate the child (listening, encouraging questions) may need strengthening, particularly for children with ASD. Results should be interpreted in light of the single-center design, the absence of a recorded participation rate, parent-proxy reporting, and the exploratory nature of the PCA.

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