Assessment of the Level and Determinants of Empathy in Moroccan Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study found that Moroccan medical students experience a decline in empathy during their training, with factors like gender and parental relationships influencing empathy levels.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into empathy trends among Moroccan medical students and identifies specific factors influencing empathy in the Arab world.

Findings

Empathy scores significantly dropped during the 6th and 7th years of medical training.

Female students showed higher empathy scores than male students.

Higher satisfaction with parental relationships was linked to higher empathy scores.

Abstract

Empathy is a key element in the doctor-patient relationship. Despite its recognized importance for both patient and physician. Several studies have reported a decline in empathy during medical training. However, few studies have been carried out in this regard in the Arab world, particularly in Morocco. This study aimed to assess the level of empathy in Moroccan medical students and to identify the factors associated with its variation.

A cross-sectional study was carried out among medical students at various Moroccan medical faculties. Data were collected using a questionnaire that included socio-demographic data on the students and their parents, clinical and academic data and satisfaction with the relationship with parents, and the validated version of the 10 items Perceived Stress Scale (PSS 10) for stress assessment. Empathy was assessed using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy– student version (JSE-S) in its Arabic version validated in Morocco. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis and multivariable linear regression to determine the factors associated with empathy. The significance level was considered 0.05. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 26.

A total of 565 students were enrolled.  The mean JSE-S score was 106.15±13.65, with a significant drop observed during the third cycle (the 6th and 7th year) (p=0.002).
 Female students scored higher than males (p=0.003). Higher satisfaction with parental relationships was positively associated with empathy (p=0.02), while chronic disease was linked to lower scores (p=0.048).

Empathy in Moroccan medical students appears to decline during medical training, which may affect future physician–patient interactions. These findings underscore the importance of implementing educational interventions and curricula designed to foster empathy, ultimately improving communication, patient satisfaction, and quality of care in clinical practice.