21 research outputs found
Individual differences in reproductive strategy are related to views about recreational drug use in Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan
Individual differences in moral views are often explained as the downstream effect of ideological commitments, such as political orientation and religiosity. Recent studies in the U.S. suggest that moral views about recreational drug use are also influenced by attitudes towards sex and that this relationship cannot be explained by ideological commitments. In this study, we investigate student samples from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Japan. We find that, in all samples, sexual attitudes are strongly related to views about recreational drug use, even after controlling for various ideological variables. We discuss our results in the light of reproductive strategies as determinants of moral views
Measuring empathy in pediatrics: validation of the Visual CARE measure
Background: Empathy is a key element of âPatient and Family Centered Careâ, a clinical approach recommended
by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, there is a lack of validated tools to evaluate paediatrician
empathy. This study aimed to validate the Visual CARE Measure, a patient rated questionnaire measuring physician
empathy, in the setting of a Pediatric Emergency Department (ED).
Methods: The empathy of physicians working in the Pediatric ED of the University Hospital of Udine, Italy, was
assessed using an Italian translation of the Visual Care Measure. This test has three versions suited to different age
groups: the 5Q questionnaire was administered to children aged 7â11, the 10Q version to those older than 11, and
the 10QâParent questionnaire to parents of children younger than 7.
The internal reliability, homogeneity and construct validity of the 5Q and 10Q/10QâParent versions of the Visual
Care Measure, were separately assessed. The influence of family background on the rating of physician empathy
and satisfaction with the clinical encounter was also evaluated.
Results: Seven physicians and 416 children and their parents were included in the study. Internal consistency
measured by Cronbachâs alpha was 0.95 for the 10Q/10QâParent versions and 0.88 for the 5Q version. The
item-total correlation was > 0.75 for each item. An exploratory factor analysis showed that all the items load
onto the first factor.
Physiciansâ empathy scores correlated with patientsâ satisfaction for both the 10Q and 10QâParent questionnaires
(Spearmanâs rho = 0.7189; p < 0.001) and for the 5Q questionnaire (Spearmanâs rho = 0.5968; p < 0,001). Trust in the
consulting physician was lower among immigrant parents (OR 0.43. 95% CI 0.20â0.93).
Conclusions: The Visual Care Measure is a reliable second-person test of physician empathy in the setting of a
Pediatric Emergency Room. More studies are needed to evaluate the reliability of this instrument in other pediatric
settings distinct from the Emergency Room and to further evaluate its utility in measuring the impact of
communication and empathy training programmes for healthcare professionals working in pediatrics