Efficacy of a Designed Empathy Course

NCT ID: NCT05864339

Last Updated: 2023-05-18

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

60 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-05-25

Study Completion Date

2023-07-31

Brief Summary

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This proposed study aims to develop a designed empathy course intervention during the smoking cessation counseling (SCC) training for master nursing students at the University of Hong Kong.

The objectives are:

1. To increase master nursing students' empathy towards smokers.
2. To increase master nursing students' self-efficacy towards SCC.
3. To improve master nursing students' attitude towards SCC;
4. To increase master nursing students' use of 5As counseling skill(Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange) during their practice.

Detailed Description

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1. Background:

This proposed study was designed based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). Kolb defined that learning requires the acquisition of abstract concepts that can then be applied flexibly in a wide range of situations. He created the experiential learning cycle in 1974, the four-stage model views learning as an integrated process. All four stages are mutually supportive because Kolb believes that effective learning is a cyclic process that involves experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. The model for experiential learning theory portrays two dialectically related modes of grasping experience (concrete experience and abstract conceptualization) and two dialectically related modes of transforming experience (reflective observation and active experimentation), which help learners transform their experience into knowledge. Each of these stages acts as a foundation for the next stage.
2. Study design:

This proposed study is a 2-arm, randomized controlled trial (RCT) (allocation ratio 1:1), by comparing the empathy, self-efficacy, attitude, and practice between master nursing students of two groups who participated in the designed empathy tutorial.
3. Subjects:

The study targets to recruit students of Master of Nursing who are taking the course "Tobacco Dependency Nursing Intervention and Management (NURS8205)" in the spring semester, of 2023.
4. Procedures of teaching intervention:

1. Students in both groups will watch the a smoker's video during the empathy course and fill out the Comprehensive State Empathy Scale based on their feeling towards the smoker in the video.
2. The tutor will present slides about the importance of empathy and empathy skills in the SCC (the intervention group) and instruct students on how to fill out the Health Empathy Map(HEM) ( only for the intervention group). But students in the control group will receive the presentation about 5As counseling skill and do not be instructed on how to fill out the HEM.
3. Students of both groups will be further allocated to 8 small groups with 3\~5 participants. During the break-out session, students will watch 4 smokers' cases (A-D) via videos and textual materials. Each student fills out 4 HEMs for 4 smokers (the intervention group). Then, each small group in both groups has to discuss and prepare a quit plan for an assigned smoker using the 5As and will present by role play.
4. Each small group (both groups) will recommend two students to demonstrate the smoking cessation counseling plan using the 5As , one student will play the "nurse" role, and the other student will play the "smoker" role. Each small group has 10 minutes to present, the tutor and other students can comment and feedback after each small group's presentation.
5. After all presentations of the 8 small groups, the tutor will organize a focus group interview and instruct the students to complete the post-questionnaire at the end of the tutorial. Focus groups interview will be audio recorded while a research assistant served as a scribe.
5. Sample size calculate Sample size will be determined based on a G\*Power analysis, using the t-test, to measure the difference between two independent means (two groups) to achieve a medium effect size of 0.8, A minimum sample size of 54 nursing students will be needed to achieve a power of 70% at 0.05 level of two-sided significance. To reach a meaningful result from the analysis of data, we added a buffer of 6 additional students (N = 60) to ensure the validity and robustness of the results.
6. Randomization and blinding The computer random number generator "Research Randomizer" will be used in the sequence generation process to generate a random sample using the block randomization technique. The single-blinding technique will be used to conceal the allocation. Participants will not know if they are given the conventional tutorials or the newly designed empathy tutorials.
7. Consent Students will receive an invitation email from the primary investigator and complete informed consent before the empathy course.
8. Statistical analysis Data will be entered into SPSS for Windows (version 20) for analysis. Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, and mean will be used to summarize the outcomes and other variables. By intention-to-treat analysis, participants who are lost or refuse the follow-up will be treated as having no change in the training outcomes. Chi-square tests and t-tests will be used to compare the outcomes between intervention and control groups. The effect size, Cohen's d, of the standardized mean of the pre-post differences will be computed, with and without adjustment for baseline characteristics. Linear mixed models which allow for multiple observations between subjects and account for the clustering of data within subjects will be used to assess the intervention effect on empathy, self-efficacy, attitude, and practice. Both the main effect (group allocation) and interaction effect (group X time) will be analyzed. To integrate and complement the obtained results, a qualitative analysis of the HEMs and focus group interview were performed using the content analysis technique, categorical modality, which is based on the decoding of a text into several elements that are then classified and form thematic groups that help to understand and describe the content of the messages.

Conditions

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Smoking Cessation Nursing Education

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

This study was designed based on Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). This study is a 2-arm, randomized controlled trial (RCT) (allocation ratio 1:1), by comparing the empathy, self-efficacy, skill, attitude, and practice between master nursing students who participated in the designed empathy tutorial (viewing videos of four smokers' real-life scenarios, reading four smokers cases text materials, and drawing Health Empathy Map) (intervention group) and those who participated in a conventional tutorial (viewing videos of four smokers' real-life scenarios, reading four smokers cases text materials) (control group).
Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants
Participants will not know if they are given the the conventional tutorials or the newly designed empathy tutorials.

Study Groups

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A designed empathy tutorial during the SCC course (Intervention group)

Students who participated in the designed empathy tutorial (viewing videos of four smokers' real-life scenarios, reading four smokers cases text materials, and drawing Health Empathy Map). Students will demonstrate a quit plan by role-playing and will attend focus group interviews during the wrap-up session.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

A designed empathy intervention

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Students watch 4 smokers' videos, read the textual materials, fill out the HEMs and discuss a quit counseling plan for an assigned smoker using the 5As counseling skilll.

Smoking cessation counseling tutorial (Control group)

Students will watch videos of four smokers' real-life scenarios, and read four smokers' case text materials. Students will demonstrate a quit plan by role-playing and will attend focus group interviews during the wrap-up session.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Smoking cessation counseling tutorial

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Students watch 4 smokers' videos, read the textual materials, and discuss a quit counseling plan for an assigned smoker using the 5As counseling skill.

Interventions

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A designed empathy intervention

Students watch 4 smokers' videos, read the textual materials, fill out the HEMs and discuss a quit counseling plan for an assigned smoker using the 5As counseling skilll.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Smoking cessation counseling tutorial

Students watch 4 smokers' videos, read the textual materials, and discuss a quit counseling plan for an assigned smoker using the 5As counseling skill.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Master nursing students (1-2 years)
* Students are able to read, understand, and write in both English and Cantonese
* Students are willing to participate in this study and sign the informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

* Students who have taken any empathy courses in the past 6 months
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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The University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr. Derek Yee-Tak Cheung

Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Derek Yee Tak Cheung, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Hong Kong

Locations

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The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

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Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Derek Yee Tak Cheung, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+852 39176652

Facility Contacts

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Derek Yee Tak Cheung, PhD

Role: primary

+852 39176652

References

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Bas-Sarmiento P, Fernandez-Gutierrez M, Baena-Banos M, Romero-Sanchez JM. Efficacy of empathy training in nursing students: A quasi-experimental study. Nurse Educ Today. 2017 Dec;59:59-65. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2017.08.012. Epub 2017 Sep 8.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 28945994 (View on PubMed)

Batt-Rawden SA, Chisolm MS, Anton B, Flickinger TE. Teaching empathy to medical students: an updated, systematic review. Acad Med. 2013 Aug;88(8):1171-7. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299f3e3.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 23807099 (View on PubMed)

Cheung YTD, Chan CHH, Ho KS, Tang C, Lau CWH, Li WHC, Wang MP, Lam TH. Effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy sample at outdoor smoking hotspots for initiating quit attempts and use of smoking cessation services: a protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open. 2020 Apr 7;10(4):e036339. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036339.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 32269028 (View on PubMed)

Chun CK, Wong FK, Wang SL, Chen W. Examining advanced nursing practice in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. Int J Nurs Sci. 2021 Mar 5;8(2):190-198. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.03.001. eCollection 2021 Apr 10.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33997133 (View on PubMed)

Duaso MJ, Bakhshi S, Mujika A, Purssell E, While AE. Nurses' smoking habits and their professional smoking cessation practices. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Nurs Stud. 2017 Feb;67:3-11. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.10.011. Epub 2016 Nov 2.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 27880873 (View on PubMed)

Gholamzadeh S, Khastavaneh M, Khademian Z, Ghadakpour S. The effects of empathy skills training on nursing students' empathy and attitudes toward elderly people. BMC Med Educ. 2018 Aug 15;18(1):198. doi: 10.1186/s12909-018-1297-9.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 30111312 (View on PubMed)

Hasan SI, Mohd Hairi F, Ahmad Tajuddin NA, Amer Nordin AS. Empowering healthcare providers through smoking cessation training in Malaysia: a preintervention and postintervention evaluation on the improvement of knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy. BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 27;9(9):e030670. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030670.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31562154 (View on PubMed)

Hasan SI, Mohd Hairi F, Amer Nordin AS, Danaee M. Development and Validation of an Evaluation Tool to Measure the Effectiveness of a Smoking Cessation Training among Healthcare Providers in Malaysia: The Providers' Smoking Cessation Training Evaluation (ProSCiTE). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Nov 5;16(21):4297. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16214297.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31694286 (View on PubMed)

Levett-Jones T, Cant R, Lapkin S. A systematic review of the effectiveness of empathy education for undergraduate nursing students. Nurse Educ Today. 2019 Apr;75:80-94. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2019.01.006. Epub 2019 Jan 26.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 30739841 (View on PubMed)

Luo YF, Chen LC, Yang SC, Hong S. Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) toward COVID-19 Pandemic among the Public in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Feb 27;19(5):2784. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19052784.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 35270491 (View on PubMed)

Patterson J, Duke G, Stocks E, Hermanns M. Simulation to Enhance Empathy of Nursing Students Toward Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Study. Nurse Educ. 2020 Nov/Dec;45(6):331-335. doi: 10.1097/NNE.0000000000000804.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 31972845 (View on PubMed)

Harizi C, El-Awa F, Ghedira H, Audera-Lopez C, Fakhfakh R. Implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in Tunisia: Progress and challenges. Tob Prev Cessat. 2020 Dec 22;6:72. doi: 10.18332/tpc/130476. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type RESULT
PMID: 33426382 (View on PubMed)

Zhang G, Luk TT, Lam VSF, Zhao S, Yip AON, Wang MP, Chan SSC, Cheung YTD. Effectiveness of a theory-based empathy enhancement in increasing Master of Nursing students' empathy and practice of smoking cessation intervention: A randomized controlled trial. Nurse Educ Pract. 2025 Aug;87:104483. doi: 10.1016/j.nepr.2025.104483. Epub 2025 Jul 23.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40714657 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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Empathy course protocol-v1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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