Determining the Factors Affecting the Compassion Levels of Students Studying in Health Sciences: A Cross-Sectional Study

Year 2024, Issue: 4, 9 - 15, 29.02.2024

Hanife Tiryaki Şen , Tuğba Öztürk Yıldırım , Hilal Kuşcu Karatepe , Şehrinaz Polat

https://doi.org/10.26650/CURARE.2024.1274679

Abstract

Objective: This study is being conducted to determine the perceived compassion levels of students studying in health sciences and the factors affecting these.
Method: The universe of this descriptive and cross-sectional study consists of university students studying in 2- and 4-year health-related undergraduate programs, with data being obtained from 920 students. The data were collected in Turkiye’s Marmara and Mediterranean regions between March 15, 2019 and April 15, 2019. The data consist of answers to questions examining the students’ sociodemographic characteristics and to the Compassion Scale. The data analysis benefits from descriptive statistics; number, percentage, mean, and standard deviation values; independent samples t-test results, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results: The study has found the students to have good compassion levels, with these levels having been determined to differ according to gender, class, and age. The female students’ mean compassion scores both overall as well as for the six subdimensions were found to be higher than the male students’ mean scores. A very significant difference (p<0.001) was determined between the mean overall compassion score and the mean score for the indifference subdimension according to the students’ grade levels. A very significant difference (p<0.001) was also found between the mean scores for the kindness and separation subdimensions, as well as a significant difference (p<0.05) among the mean scores for the common humanity, mindfulness, and disengagement subdimensions.
Conclusion: Students’ perceived compassion levels were determined to change as a result of many factors. Universities must use all available resources to demonstrate and model compassionate behavior so that students do not lose sight of what compassion means with regard to their profession and the provision of quality care.

Keywords

Compassion, affecting factors, students

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

None

Thanks

We thank the students who participated in the research.

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