Psychometric tool for the assessment of empathy levels among dental practitioners in Chennai

Context: The important element for effective patient management is doctor-patient relationship. The key factor contributing in strengthening such relationship is doctor’s or health professional’s empathy. The term empathy in medicine means ability to recognize and understand the feelings of the patients thereby facilitating social relationship. Aim: The present study aims to detect the empathy levels among practicing dental students at SRM dental college & hospital, Chennai. Methods: The English version of Toronto Composite Empathy Scale (TCES) comprising of 52 questions was translated to Tamil language and distributed to interns and postgraduate students of SRM dental college & Hospital, Chennai. Results: The results showed that there is significant difference in empathy levels among interns and postgraduate students (p<0.001). The internal consistencies of each of the four subscales in the TCES were acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.515-0.792).Test-retest reliabilities ranged from 0.421 to 0.634. Conclusion: The Tamil version of the TCES is a reliable and valid tool for the measurement of empathy in both professional and personal life, in dental students.