title: Somatic underpinnings of perceived empathy: the importance of psychotherapy training.
abstract: This study investigated the somatic underpinning of empathy using an interpersonal physiology approach. Thirty-nine dyads were formed by a "pseudo-patient" and a "listener" (a therapist, a psychologist, or a non-therapist). Dyadic physiological concordance in electrodermal responses and listeners' empathy were evaluated during simulations of clinical sessions. A significant positive correlation between empathy as perceived by pseudo-patients and physiological concordance was found, providing empirical evidence of a somatic underpinning of empathy. Moreover, therapists showed higher levels of physiological concordance and empathy, confirming the importance of psychotherapy training in managing clinical interactions.
authors.affiliation: University of Padua, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), Padova, Italy. irene-messina@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palmieri
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sambin
authors.forename: Johann Roland
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kleinbub
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Voci
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Calvo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000193:education*; D055815:Young Adult