Institutional Accreditation Process and Empathic Attitude in Dental Students in Two Different Academic Years

Authors

  • Dr Méndez Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador
  • Dr Aldana Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador
  • Dr Alfaro Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador
  • Dr Díaz University Andrés Bello, Chile
  • Dr Quiro Universidad Norbert Wiener, Perú
  • Alejandro Reyes-Reyes Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.40.03.320.968

Keywords:

Empathy, , dentistry, student, health education

Abstract

Objective: To compare the levels of empathy evaluated in two different years at a university undergoing continuous and successful accreditation processes.  

Material and Methods: Exploratory and longitudinal research. The empathy measurements, in two moments (2016 and 2022), of dentistry students in a university undergoing successful institutional accreditation processes (2017 and 2022) were compared. Empathy data were obtained using the Jefferson Empathy Scale (student version). The reliability was estimated, and the compliance of the three-dimensional model of empathy and invariance of the model in the analyzed groups were checked. Empathy comparisons were performed using a trifactorial analysis of variance. The significance level used was ?<.05 and ?>.80.  

Results. The reliability of the data, the presence of the three-dimensional model, and the invariance of the model were verified. The values of empathy and the Perspective and “Walking in Patient's Shoes” dimensions do not differ between the compared years, but the Compassionate Care dimension did. The classification of the observed empathy values, places it as “medium level”.   

Conclusions.The levels of empathy, classified as medium level, did not vary between the two studied moments. The study allows us to say that, possibly, the systematic absence of teaching empathy could be a factor why this attribute has not increased. 

Author Biographies

Dr Méndez, Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador

Dentistry School. Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador. San Salvador (El Salvador). nuvia.estrada@uees.edu.sv. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2314-3015

Dr Aldana, Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador

Dentistry School. Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador. San Salvador (El Salvador). jennifer.aldana@uees.edu.sv. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6972-9276 

Dr Alfaro, Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador

Dentistry School. Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador. San Salvador (El Salvador). brenda.alfaro@uees.edu.sv. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4095-7053

Dr Díaz, University Andrés Bello, Chile

Universidad Andrés Bello. Dentistry School. Santiago (Chile). Investigador asociado a la Universidad Evangélica de El Salvador. victor.diaz@unab.cl. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5486-0415 

Dr Quiro, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Perú

South American Center for Education and Research in Public Health, Universidad Norbert Wiener, Lima. (Perú). lwquiro@gmail.com. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8537-9149

Alejandro Reyes-Reyes, Universidad Santo Tomás, Chile

Universidad Santo Tomás. Social Sciences and Communications School. Concepción (Chile). areyesr@santotomas.cl. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2404-0467

Published

2024-12-17

How to Cite

Estrada-Méndez, N. . ., Aldana Salguero, J. E. . ., Alfaro Ortiz, B. . ., Diaz-Narváez, V. P., Quiro, L. W. ., & Reyes-Reyes, A. (2024). Institutional Accreditation Process and Empathic Attitude in Dental Students in Two Different Academic Years . Salud Uninorte, 40(3), 900–922. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.40.03.320.968

Issue

Section

Original Article

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