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Mindfulness and empathy among counseling and psychotherapy professionals : A systematic review and meta-analysis
Cooper, David Yap, Keong O’Brien, Maureen Scott, India
Cooper, David
Yap, Keong
O’Brien, Maureen
Scott, India
Abstract
Objectives
Past research shows that mindfulness-based training improves empathy in healthcare professionals and the general population. However, the empirical evidence for applying this assumption to counselors and psychotherapists is not well established. This review sought to examine the relationship between mindfulness and empathy, and the effects of mindfulness-based training on empathy among counselors and psychotherapists.
Methods
Published studies and dissertations indexed by PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and Medline were systematically reviewed. We performed random-effects meta-analyses of both cross-sectional evidence and pre-post results of mindfulness-based training.
Results
A total of 22 studies met criteria. Greater self-reported levels of mindfulness were associated with less empathic personal distress, r = − .39, 95% CI [−.57, −.18], and greater perspective taking, r = .27, 95% CI [.09, .44]. An analysis of pre-post data indicated that mindfulness-based training did not have a significant effect on empathy.
Conclusions
There is a positive association between mindfulness and some aspects of empathy. However, mindfulness-based training did not significantly alter levels of empathy. Other methods of increasing empathy in counselors and psychotherapists should be explored. Furthermore, caution should be exercised when generalizing results from studies involving other healthcare professionals and the general population to counselors and psychotherapists.
Keywords
mindfulness, empathy, training, systematic review, meta-analysis
Date
2021
Type
Journal article
Journal
Mindfulness
Book
Volume
11
Issue
10
Page Range
2243-2257
Article Number
ACU Department
School of Behavioural and Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Faculty of Health Sciences
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled