Psychometric testing of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Health Profession Students' version with Australian paramedic students

Brett Williams, Ted Brown, Malcolm Boyle and Simon Dousek

Nursing & Health Sciences, 2013, vol. 15, issue 1, 45-50

Abstract: Evidence now suggests that improved empathic behaviors can have a positive impact on healthcare outcomes. Therefore, having psychometrically‐sound empathy scales is important for healthcare educators. In this study, the factor structure of the 20‐item Jefferson Scale Empathy–Health Profession Students' version, when completed by a group of undergraduate paramedic students from a large Australian university, was investigated. Data from the Scale completed by 330 paramedic students were analyzed using principal components analysis followed by a maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analysis to test goodness of fit to the sample data. Two factors emerged from the principal components analysis, “compassionate care” and “perspective taking”, accounting for 44.2% of the total variance. The 17‐item two‐factor model produced good model fit and good reliability estimates. Three of the original items did not fit the model. Results from the confirmatory factor analysis suggest that the 17‐item Jefferson Scale Empathy–Health Profession Students' version is a valid and reliable measure for undergraduate paramedic students' empathy levels.

Date: 2013
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https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2012.00719.x

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:nuhsci:v:15:y:2013:i:1:p:45-50

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