Cognitive Empathy in Preprofessional Students

ABSTRACT

The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test, a test of cognitive empathy, requires individuals to assess the emotional state of a person by looking only at the eyes. A shortened version (svRME) was used in this study to assess the differences in cognitive empathy between preprofessionals in two healthcare fields and in one non-healthcare field of study. Students from a Doctor of Physical Therapy program, a nursing program, and an engineering program (n = 224) were asked to complete a short demographic questionnaire and the svRME. No significant differences in scores were noted between the students of physical therapy and nursing;however, both had scores significantly different than those of the students of engineering. This study questions if people with higher cognitive empathy choose health-related professions and if this fact could be used in career counseling for collegiate level students. It also questions if the svRME could be used to assess cognitive empathy before and after training designed to improve cognitive empathy in a pre-professional health-related program. J Allied Health 2022;51(2)116-120.