Psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professional Student's version: an Italian validation study with nursing students.

Montanari, Paola; Petrucci, Cristina; Russo, Silvia; Murray, Ian; Dimonte, Valerio; Lancia, Loreto

Abstract

This methodological study was conducted to test the psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Health Professional Student's version (JSE-HPS). It used a convenience sample of 797 Italian nursing students and also aimed to describe their empathic engagement. Data were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, test-retest, correlation analysis, t-test, and analysis of variance method. Principal component factor extraction with Oblimin rotation on the first half of the sample was conducted. The analysis suggested a three-factor solution for 14 items: compassionate care/emotional engagement, perspective-taking, and standing in the patient's shoes. Confirmatory factor analysis on the second half of the sample showed good fit indexes for the 14-item solution, indicated by the exploratory factor analysis, and the 20 item solution of the scale, with the exception of one item. Test-retest correlation was 0.50 (P < -0.001) for the overall scale. Results from group comparisons and correlations are also provided and discussed. The Italian version of the JSE-HPS is a psychometrically sound tool. The translated 20-item solution is also suitable to carry out cross-cultural comparisons.

Citation

MONTANARI, P., PETRUCCI, C., RUSSO, S., MURRAY, I., DIMONTE, V. and LANCIA, L. 2015. Psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professional Student's version: an Italian validation study with nursing students. Nursing and health sciences [online], 17(4), pages 483-491. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12221

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 2, 2015
• Online Publication Date: Jul 7, 2015
• Publication Date: Dec 31, 2015
• Deposit Date: Nov 10, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 10, 2016
• Journal: Nursing and health sciences
• Print ISSN: 1441-0745
• Electronic ISSN: 1442-2018
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 483-491
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.12221
• Keywords: Empathy; Instrument development; Jefferson scale of empathy; Nursing students; Undergraduate nursing; Italy
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/1941
• Contract Date: Nov 10, 2016