Emotional Intelligence and Physician Empathy
Dr. Rebecca Warner
Department of Psychology
Introduction
Most assessments of medical school applicants are measures of
academic ability (such as the MCAT verbal, physics, and biology
scores). It is not clear whether these academic skills predict
communication skills in medical interviews. Two variables that may
predict communication quality in medical interviews are Emotional
Intelligence (EI) and Physician Empathy (PE).
The present study addressed these questions:
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• Are EI and PE correlated?
• Are EI and PE related to gender and age?
• Are EI and PE correlated with MCAT scores?
Method
Sixty first year medical students agreed to participate; we obtained
demographics, access to MCAT scores, and scores for EI and PE.
University of New Hampshire, Durham NH
Results
Discussion
Correlation between EI and PE
Gender, EI and PE
Female medical students scored
significantly on EI than the male
students, t(54) = -2.61, p = .012,
h2 = .11; for females M = 104.1,
for males, M = 96.3.
Branch 1: Perceiving Emotion
Branch 2: Use of Emotion to Facilitate Thought
Branch 3: Understanding Emotions
 Scores on total EI were higher for medical students over age 33. Some
studies suggest EI may increase with age (4). However, age related
differences in EI in our sample may be due to self selection; perhaps
older adults low in EI are less likely to apply to medical school.
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 Scores on Branch 3 EI (Understanding Emotions) correlated positively
with Verbal MCAT scores while scores on Branch 4 EI and on PE
correlated negatively with Physics MCAT scores.
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 Applicants with high Verbal and low Physics MCAT scores may tend
to be higher in EI and PE. However, recommendations about changes
in admissions criteria would be premature.
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Mean EI for females was almost
8 points, or .7 standard deviations,
higher than for males.
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Male
The Jefferson Physician Empathy Scale is a 20 item self report
measure of physician empathy (3). A typical item is as follows:
“A physician who is able to view things from another person’s
perspective can render better care”; respondents are asked to rate
their degree of agreement with each statement . PE assesses attitudes
toward the importance of physician empathy in health care.
 The next phase of analyses will examine communication skills in
interviews with trained simulated patients in relation to EI and PE and
the relationship between admissions statements of personal goals and
EI and PE.
Female
There was no significant gender
difference in PE scores.
 If EI and PE predict actual interview skills, information about these
may be useful in evaluation of medical school applicants.
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EI and Age
EI Total
EI and age correlated positively,
r(51) = +.41, p = .003.
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Students above age 33 had EI scores
well above average.
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PE was not significantly related to age.
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References
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1) Brackett, M. A., & Mayer, J. D. (2003). Convergent, discriminant, and incremental validity of competing measures of
emotional intelligence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29, 1147-1158.
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Branch 4: Managing Emotion
Measurement of Physician Empathy
 Consistent with past research, female medical students scored higher
on EI than males. Females did not score higher than males on PE.
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Measurement of Emotional Intelligence
The MSCEIT is an ability test of EI that yields a score for total EI and
each of four branches of EI (1, 2). Because it is an ability test,
responses are evaluated based on degree of agreement with responses
identified by expert judges.
 Branch 4 EI (Ability to Manage Emotions) was significantly positively
correlated with PE.
Total EI was not significantly positively correlated with PE, r(55) = +.26, p = .052.
However, Branch 4 EI (Managing Emotions) was correlated with PE, r(55) = +.52, p < .001.
EI Total
Raoul Hausmann, Spirit of Our Time,
National Musuem of Modern Art, Paris
The quality of communication in
patient-practitioner interviews is
important; it influences patient
satisfaction, compliance with medical
regimens, and medical outcomes.
Therefore, effective communication
is an important skill for students in
health professions such as medicine
and occupational therapy.
Dr. Kerryellen Vroman
Department of Occupational Therapy
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Age
EI, PE and MCATs
EI Branch 3 correlated positively with Verbal MCAT scores, r(54) =.43, p = .001.
EI Branch 4 and PE each correlated negatively with Physics MCATs, r(54) = -.34,
p = .011 and r(54) = -.26, p = .049.
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2) Mayer J. D., Salovey, P., Caruso, D. R., & Sitarenios, G. (2003). Measuring emotional intelligence with the MSCEIT
V2.0. Emotion, 3, 97-105.
3) Hojat, M., Mangione, S., Nasca, T. J., Cohen, M. J. M., Gonnella, J. S., Erdmann, J. B., Veloski, J., & Magee, M. (2001).
The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy: Development and preliminary psychometric data. Educational and
Psychological Measurement, 61, 349-365.
4) Emotional Intelligence (EQ) Gets Better with Age. Retrieved April 4, 2007:
www.mhs.com/ROE/EIGetsBetterWithAge.aspx
Acknowledgements:
Grant from UNH Presidential Excellence Research Award program; assistance from Mildred Savidge and the Department
of Family Medicine, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, ME.
Contact Information:
No other correlations between MCAT scores and EI or PE were significant.
Rebecca Warner, Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH 03824.
[email protected]