• Citer

Study of the influence of interception on empathy in physicaltherapy students

par Michiels, Sabine ;Foucart, Jennifer
Référence Rehumanising healthcare in a divided world (15 septembre 2025: University Leicester)
Publication Non publié, 2025-09-15

Communication à un colloque

• Accès en ligne
• Détails
• Contenu
• Statistiques

Résumé :

Abstract Background: This study investigated the influence of interoception on the level of empathy in physiotherapy students. The research aimed to identify potential links between interoception, the practice of interoceptive or artistic activities, and empathy, as well as to examine variations in empathy levels throughout the physiotherapy curriculum.Methods: The study involved volunteer students in their first and final years of the physiotherapy programme, who completed an anonymous online questionnaire. This included the MAIA-2 questionnaire to assess interoception, the Jefferson Scale of Empathy, and additional questions related to interoceptive activities and any artistic practice.Findings: The results, based on 138 complete responses, revealed a significant correlation between interoception and empathy (p = 0.005; r = 0.236), indicating that individuals with higher levels of interoception tended to demonstrate greater empathy. Final-year students also showed significantly higher empathy compared to first-year students (p = 0.048). Furthermore, individuals involved in both interoceptive, and artistic activities displayed higher levels of empathy than those engaged in only one or neither of these activities (p = 0.027).Discussion: These findings align with previous research highlighting the potential impact of interoception on emotional and affective experiences. The observed correlation between interoception and empathy supports the idea that bodily sensations contribute to shaping emotional responses. The results also suggest that the physiotherapy curriculum may influence the development of empathy in students. This study contributes to understanding the relationship between interoception and empathy in the context of physiotherapy education. The observed associations and differences in empathy levels among students emphasize the importance of considering interoception in developing empathic skills. These findings may inform the design of educational interventions aimed at enhancing empathy in future physiotherapists.