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Article

Burnout, Covert Narcissism, and Personality Traits: The Need to Distinguish Empathy Domains in Medical Residents

by
Adelina Alcorta-Garza
1,*,
Oscar Vidal-Gutiérrez
2,
Javier Alejandro Martínez-Moyano
2,
Celia Beatriz González-Alcorta
2,
Fernando Alcorta-Núñez
1,
Mónica Lizeth Garza-García
1,
Paola Azucena López-Sierra
1,
Itzel Lidey Galaviz-Reynoso
1,
Aminta Mariel Cortés-Almazán
1,
Camila Alejandra Martínez-Roque
1 and
Juan Francisco González-Guerrero
2
1
Coordination of Psycho-Oncology, Liaison Medicine and Palliative Care, Oncology Service, “José E. González” University Hospital, University Center Against Cancer, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, Mexico
2
Oncology Service, “José E. González” University Hospital, University Center Against Cancer, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey 64460, Mexico
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(3), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030982
Submission received: 4 December 2025 / Revised: 13 January 2026 / Accepted: 15 January 2026 / Published: 26 January 2026
(This article belongs to the Section Mental Health)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Identifying consistent patterns across empathy domains can help clinicians understand how empathy relates to burnout, covert narcissism, and other personality traits, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of clinical training. We examined empathy and assessed whether burnout, covert narcissism, and other personality traits show consistent associations across empathy domains. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 213 medical residents from a teaching and public tertiary care facility in Mexico. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Hypersensitive Narcissism Scale, and the Zuckerman–Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire were applied. Nonparametric partial correlations were calculated, controlling for sex, age, specialty, year of residency, and psychological well-being. Results: On a 7-point Likert scale, the mean scores for perspective-taking, compassionate care, and the ability to stand in the patient’s shoes were 6.0 ± 0.8, 6.0 ± 1.0, and 4.1 ± 1.2, respectively. Depersonalization was negatively correlated with all empathy domains: perspective-taking (Spearman’s ρ = −0.20, p = 0.04), compassionate care (Spearman’s ρ = −0.30, p < 0.0001), and the ability to stand in the patient’s shoes (Spearman’s ρ = −0.25, p < 0.0001). The associations between other components of burnout, covert narcissism, and the remaining personality traits varied according to the domain of empathy. Conclusions: Depersonalization showed consistent, albeit modest, negative associations with all empathy domains, whereas the remaining psychological factors showed domain-specific relationships. Differentiating between empathy domains is essential, as it allows medical educators and clinicians to tailor interventions to specific components rather than treating empathy as a unitary construct.
Keywords: burnout; covert narcissism; personality; empathy; medical residents burnout; covert narcissism; personality; empathy; medical residents

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Alcorta-Garza, A.; Vidal-Gutiérrez, O.; Martínez-Moyano, J.A.; González-Alcorta, C.B.; Alcorta-Núñez, F.; Garza-García, M.L.; López-Sierra, P.A.; Galaviz-Reynoso, I.L.; Cortés-Almazán, A.M.; Martínez-Roque, C.A.; et al. Burnout, Covert Narcissism, and Personality Traits: The Need to Distinguish Empathy Domains in Medical Residents. J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15, 982. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030982

AMA Style

Alcorta-Garza A, Vidal-Gutiérrez O, Martínez-Moyano JA, González-Alcorta CB, Alcorta-Núñez F, Garza-García ML, López-Sierra PA, Galaviz-Reynoso IL, Cortés-Almazán AM, Martínez-Roque CA, et al. Burnout, Covert Narcissism, and Personality Traits: The Need to Distinguish Empathy Domains in Medical Residents. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2026; 15(3):982. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030982

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alcorta-Garza, Adelina, Oscar Vidal-Gutiérrez, Javier Alejandro Martínez-Moyano, Celia Beatriz González-Alcorta, Fernando Alcorta-Núñez, Mónica Lizeth Garza-García, Paola Azucena López-Sierra, Itzel Lidey Galaviz-Reynoso, Aminta Mariel Cortés-Almazán, Camila Alejandra Martínez-Roque, and et al. 2026. "Burnout, Covert Narcissism, and Personality Traits: The Need to Distinguish Empathy Domains in Medical Residents" Journal of Clinical Medicine 15, no. 3: 982. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030982

APA Style

Alcorta-Garza, A., Vidal-Gutiérrez, O., Martínez-Moyano, J. A., González-Alcorta, C. B., Alcorta-Núñez, F., Garza-García, M. L., López-Sierra, P. A., Galaviz-Reynoso, I. L., Cortés-Almazán, A. M., Martínez-Roque, C. A., & González-Guerrero, J. F. (2026). Burnout, Covert Narcissism, and Personality Traits: The Need to Distinguish Empathy Domains in Medical Residents. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 15(3), 982. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15030982

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