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Den empatiska socionomen: "Is this to be an empathy test?"

Dahlström, Johan LU and Bergqvist, Johan LU (2012) SOPA63 20112
School of Social Work
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University on students’ levels of empathy. We used a self-measurement tool that was distributed to all students (173) from the first semester and all students (135) from the last semester of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University, in order to determine whether there has been a change in students´ levels of empathy during the education. The self-measurement tool used is a Swedish translation of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which is one of the most frequently used tools for measuring empathy. IRI shows high validity and reliability. IRI consists of four subscales, all measuring different... (More)
The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University on students’ levels of empathy. We used a self-measurement tool that was distributed to all students (173) from the first semester and all students (135) from the last semester of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University, in order to determine whether there has been a change in students´ levels of empathy during the education. The self-measurement tool used is a Swedish translation of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which is one of the most frequently used tools for measuring empathy. IRI shows high validity and reliability. IRI consists of four subscales, all measuring different aspects of empathy. We found very small differences in levels of empathy between the students from the first semester and the students from the last semester. Students from the first semester showed slightly higher mean value with no significance. Students from the first semester scored non-significantly higher on all of the four subscales as well except for one. We found that woman scored significantly higher on IRI in its entirety and on all of the four subscales except for one. We can’t, due to the non-significant difference on levels of empathy for students on the first semester and the last semester, draw any conclusions whether the education has any influence on the students´ levels of empathy. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Dahlström, Johan LU and Bergqvist, Johan LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOPA63 20112
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
social work education, levels of empathy, Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI)
language
Swedish
id
2295267
date added to LUP
2012-01-16 17:04:41
date last changed
2012-01-16 17:04:41
@misc{2295267,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University on students’ levels of empathy. We used a self-measurement tool that was distributed to all students (173) from the first semester and all students (135) from the last semester of the Bachelor of Science Programme in Social Work at Lund University, in order to determine whether there has been a change in students´ levels of empathy during the education. The self-measurement tool used is a Swedish translation of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which is one of the most frequently used tools for measuring empathy. IRI shows high validity and reliability. IRI consists of four subscales, all measuring different aspects of empathy. We found very small differences in levels of empathy between the students from the first semester and the students from the last semester. Students from the first semester showed slightly higher mean value with no significance. Students from the first semester scored non-significantly higher on all of the four subscales as well except for one. We found that woman scored significantly higher on IRI in its entirety and on all of the four subscales except for one. We can’t, due to the non-significant difference on levels of empathy for students on the first semester and the last semester, draw any conclusions whether the education has any influence on the students´ levels of empathy.}},
  author       = {{Dahlström, Johan and Bergqvist, Johan}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Den empatiska socionomen: "Is this to be an empathy test?"}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}