RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Beyond scientific and technical training: Assessing the relevance of empathy and assertiveness in future physiotherapists: A cross-sectional study
A1 Marrero González, Cristo Manuel
A1 Hernández Xumet, Juan Elicio
A1 García Hernández, Alfonso Miguel
A1 Fernández González, Jerónimo Pedro
A2 Enfermería
A2 Grupo de investigación: Cuidados al final de la vida (En-of-life care) Tanatología

Grupo de investigación: Movement and health lresearch group
K1 Assertiveness
K1 Empathy
K1 Health occupations students
K1 Physiotherapy
AB Background and Aims: Empathy and assertiveness are two essential social skills for ahealth professional such as a physiotherapist and are necessary for developing moralthinking. Previous studies show that the development of empathy and other socialskills improves as students progress in their studies. However, other authors showdeterioration of empathy as students progress in their studies and acquire clinicalexperience. Training in soft skills, such as assertiveness, among health sciencestudents will have an impact on the quality of patient care. Effective communication,conflict resolution and the ability to work as part of a team are competencies thathave been put to one side as a result of the recent COVID‐19 pandemic and it isimportant to resume training students in soft skills. The objective of this study is toinvestigate to determine the empathic and assertive state of physiotherapyuniversity students.Methods: A descriptive cross‐sectional study of physiotherapy university studentswas conducted in the 2022/2023 academic year. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index(IRI) scales for empathy and the Rathus test for assertiveness (RAS) were used asstudy tools. Finally, 127 students participated in the study, 52.91% of the totalpopulation of physiotherapy students. The questionnaire was available for 4 weeksin November and December 2022.Results: The empathetic and assertive development of the students was found to beacceptable. Significant differences were also observed according to the gendervariable in the students, with female students presenting better results (p = 0.01).Students who are working or have clinical experience in other professions scorelower on the empathy personal distress subscale (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Future research should be considered to help improve clinical andprofessional expertise in physiotherapy students about empathic and assertivedevelopment. The findings provide new evidence on the levels of empathy andassertiveness in physiotherapy students.
YR 2023
FD 2023
LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/39651
UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/39651
LA en
DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna
RD 24-abr-2025