Empathy problematic in psychological aspects of professional medical care (review)

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Abstract

The article covers summary report of the main aspects of empathy research in medical care. Data of an empathy level diagnostics depending on social aspects is pre¬sented, as well as an issue of empathy consideration as a stable personal characteristic, its dependency on experience and doctor's specialization, context of medical activity (necessary pain infliction, emergency aid assistance) is discussed. Aspects of empathic communication for medical workers of various specialties, inter alia psychiatrists and oncologists, as well as communication strategies, developed for coping with cocurrent negative emotions are analyzed. An example of a medical interview facilitating the quality of interpersonal relationship in the pair patient-doctor alliance" is given. In conclusion there are presented actual scientific contra¬dictions and set the possible main lines of future researches.

General Information

Keywords: empathy, medical care, specialization, psychiatry, oncology, coping, communication strategies

Journal rubric: Theory and Methodology

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/cpp.2015230202

For citation: Poddubnaya T.V. Empathy problematic in psychological aspects of professional medical care (review). Konsul'tativnaya psikhologiya i psikhoterapiya = Counseling Psychology and Psychotherapy, 2015. Vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 9–36. DOI: 10.17759/cpp.2015230202. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Tat'iana V. Poddubnaya, Clinical Psychologist, Post-graduate Student of the Department of Individual and Group Psychotherapy of the Faculty of Consultative and Clinical Psychology, Moscow City University of Psychology and Education, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: tatiana-bor@yandex.ru

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