The development and psychometric analysis of a new instrument for assessing empathetic medical gaze of medical students in Sweden

Abstract

This is a preliminary psychometric study that proposes a re-conceptualization of
empathy. The reason being, no pre-existing instrument assesses empathy as a
cognitive and affective trait, related to the scientific medical gaze, in the context
of medical education and patient care.
This study aimed to (1) develop an instrument for the assessment of the
empathetic medical gaze, and (2) evaluate the instrument’s psychometric
properties among 251 medical students in Sweden.
A 20-item instrument for the assessment of the empathetic medical gaze was
developed and its psychometric properties were evaluated using traditional
psychometric methods, based on classical test theory (CTT).
Item analyses and exploratory factor analysis supported a priori unidimensionality
expectation of 16 of its 20 items, with satisfactory Cronbach’s coefficient alpha
(α = 0.87) and corrected item-total correlations (0.37-0.60). This supports the
summation of 16 item scores to total scale scores on the scale.
Nonetheless, findings suggest the need for further development and iterations, as
well as the application of modern psychometric methods based on Rasch
measurement theory (RMT). Even so, findings render the scale has the potential to
assess healthcare students’ ability to empathetically gaze at patients.

Date of Award	2023-Dec
Original language	English
Supervisor	Atika Khalaf (Supervisor) & Peter Hagell (Examiner)