Empathy

Dr Jamil
ID Fellow
• The word empathy has been taken from Greek Empatheia (passion),
which is composed of “em” (in) and “pathos” (feeling).

• From there the English term originated as a direct translation of the

German Einfuhlung (“feeling into” something).
 Definition
• Empathy is the ability to attune ourselves to others; defined by the
expression of behaviors:
A. Giving your full attention to someone
B. Detecting and interpreting non-verbal cues
C. Acknowledging others’ perspectives
D. Understanding another’s felt experience
• Roger’s (1975), he wrote that empathy was a “process” rather than a
state and that it means entering the private perceptual world of the
other and becoming thoroughly at home in it. It involves being
sensitive, moment to moment, to the changing felt meanings which
flow in this other person, to the fear or rage or tenderness or
confusion or whatever, that he/she is experiencing.
Points to remember
• The concept was invented over a century ago by German
psychologists and now has two main meanings. The traditional
approach is to think about empathy as an emotional connection
between individuals. A different approach, empathy as an imaginative
leap in which you endeavour to understand the world from the
perspective of another person.
Points to remember
• If you open a psychology textbook you will usually encounter the first
approach, in which empathy is defined as the capacity to share or
partake in the emotional life of others. That is, being able to feel what
another person feels. Every time you wince when you see someone in
pain, you are displaying empathy. This sharing of experience is
different from sympathy, for instance feeling pity for someone who is
feeling bereft after the death of a family member.
• Whereas both concepts involve affective feeling states, “empathy”
refers to the sharing of another person’s feeling, while “sympathy”
refers to an emotional response congruent with the other person’s
feeling, but not necessarily isomorphic. For example, when another
person is angry about something, I might share his/her anger
(“empathize”) or I might feel pity for him/her (“sympathize”).
• Compassion has been defined as a “deep awareness of the suffering
of another coupled with the wish to relieve it” or as the “human
quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do
something about it”.
• Altruism refers to a specific form of motivation for one organism usually
human, benefiting another, therefore biologists and psychologists
speak of altruistic behavior, meaning behavior that benefit another.

• The term altruism has been used in three ways

1. As helping behavior, not motivation
2. As acting morally
3. As helping to gain internal rather than external rewards
• One last aspect of the definition pertains to the distinction between
“empathy” and “emotional contagion.” “Emotional contagion” refers
to “the tendency to automatically mimic and synchronize facial
expressions, vocalizations, postures, and movements with those of
another person and, consequently, to converge emotionally”.
(Hatfield et al. 2009).
 IMPORTANCE OF EMPATHY
• Empathy in healthcare is the capability to share another person’s
emotions and feelings. The empathy we convey to our patients,
families and to each other creates “the culture of caring” we
continually work towards.

• Remember
• It should be noted that patient’s care is more than just healing; its
building a connection that encompasses mind, body and soul.
 Ways To Show Empathy
• Be aware of another person’s feelings by showing concern.
• Show sensitivity by looking at their facial expressions.
• Ask questions to understand feelings.
• Give a simple sign of affection such as hug or a tender touch.
 How Do You Listen Empathically?
• “You feel….”
• “It seems like…”
• “As I understand it, you sound…..”
• “It appears as if…..”
• If I hear you correctly, you would like…”
Empathetic listening Tips
• Be interested in speaker.
• Have good eye contact and body
language.
• Have less distractions.
• Allow the speaker to talk
• Respond in a tone that is appropriate for
that situation.
 Behaviors To Avoid
• Judging
• Criticizing
• Lecturing
• Advising
• Interrupting
• Empathy helps patient understands their lives. It’s truly about letting
people know that they matter and that clinicians care about their
patients well-being.

• Underneath the diagnosis in a patient whose lives stand still, bound

by hospital walls, machines and devices such patients wants to feel
being heard, they want a connection.
• Empathy makes us understand what patients are experiencing by
acknowledging their emotional states and listening attentively. We
can engage our patients and empower them to be pro-active and in
charge of their healthcare. Empathy will foster trust, a partnership
form and the healing process begins.
 Those in need of empathy

• Terminally ill patients e. g cancer, AIDS

• Surgical patients e. g laparotomy, hysterectomy, C/S and lumpectomy
• Death of relatives e. g bereavement
• Disabilities e. g through accidents and emergencies
THANKS