title: Measuring Empathetic Care: Development and Validation of a Self-Report Scale.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the development of a self-report survey measure of empathetic care. Empathetic care is defined as caregiving that supports clients' socioemotional capabilities and addresses their emotional needs. It is distinct from instrumental care, which involves assisting with physical needs such as activities of daily living.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on a literature review, structured interviews, and focus groups, we identify three dimensions of empathetic care: extra-role behavior, emotional support, and relational richness. We then developed a large pool of items that could tap into these dimensions and administered versions of the survey to nearly 300 health care paraprofessionals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After performing exploratory factor analyses on a larger survey of 138 paraprofessionals, a 10-item, three-factor measure, the Empathetic Care Scale (ECS), was developed that predicts decisions on consequential allocation scenarios. A second sample of 125 paraprofessionals provided data for a confirmatory factor analysis; results suggested that the ECS has desirable psychometric properties and evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Further samples demonstrated acceptable levels of test-retest reliability and no social desirability bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides a short self-report measure that can be used to gauge care workers' individual levels of empathetic care. Future research can use this measure to explore relationships between ECS responses and previously proposed but untested outcomes such as patient well-being and employee burnout or turnover rates.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA clamberton@katz.pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Cait M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lamberton
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Carrie R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Leana
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D004645:Empathy; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D018576:Home Health Aides; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009728:Nursing Assistants; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: CNA; caregiving; emotions; empathetic care