The Relationship between Empathy and Stigma towards Psychiatric Disorders among Nursing Students

Considering the importance of two variables of stigma and empathy in the care of patients with psychiatric disorders and the impact of cultural conditions on them, there is evidence that these two variables have reciprocal effects.
To determine the correlation between stigma and empathy toward psychiatric disorders in nursing students
In this descriptive correlational study, 155 nursing students who were attending mental health education at Avicenna Psychiatric Hospital in Mashhad were selected as available. The data collection tool was a questionnaire of Kassam health care provider stigma and Jefferson Nurses empathy questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and analytical statistics.
Pearson correlation test showed that there was a significant difference between mean total score of stygie (r = 0.23, p = 0.004) and subscale of social responsibility (r = 0.29, p The results showed that there is an inverse relationship between social responsibility of patients with psychiatric disorders and empathy. Therefore, it is recommended that educational interventions should be considered in accordance with the community culture in order to promote empathy and reduce stigma in nursing students