Association between empathy, anxiety and psychological well-being in Mexican medical students. Transversal study.

Abstract

Background: The expression of empathy improves the quality of health care, which is why its instruction is suggested during the years of academic training of medical students. However, expressing empathy can also cause anxiety and impair psychological well-being.

Objective: To identify profiles that describe the relationship between empathy, anxiety and psychological well-being in Mexican medical students.

Method: Cross-sectional study in Mexican medical students completed the Multidimensional Empathy Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale for Adults.

Results: Women presented greater empathy and anxiety and lower psychological well-being (p < 0.01). Anxiety in students of the last year of training was lower compared to students of the first and second year (p < 0.01). Four profiles were detected: 1) men, minimal anxiety, low empathy; 2) first-year students, moderate to severe anxiety, low psychological well-being, high empathy; 3) last year of training, mild anxiety, adequate psychological well-being, medium empathy; 4) women, second and third year of training, very high empathy.

Conclusions: Medical students in their first year of training constitute a population at risk. Attention strategies are necessary for this student group.