Search Results (2)

Background: Dehumanization refers to the tendency of individuals or groups to attribute fewer human characteristics to other individuals or groups (referred to as hetero-dehumanization) or to themselves (referred to as self-dehumanization). This phenomenon currently seems to predominate in the medical and nursing professions. Indeed, healthcare environments facilitate latent forms of dehumanization due to their structure, organization, and inherent professional demands. This study aimed to investigate the association between hetero- or self-dehumanization and personality traits of healthcare professionals, as well as the possible key mediating role of empathy in this relationship. Methods: A total of 1150 healthcare employees were recruited for the current study with a mean age of 45.13 years. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by health professionals. Results: Statistically significant relationships were found between self- and hetero-dehumanization and most personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness). A mediation analysis revealed that empathy mediates the effects of personality traits on hetero- and self-dehumanization. Conclusions: The present study addresses the vital role of personality traits of healthcare professionals on dehumanizing oneself or patients, offering insights into improving therapeutic relationships through the cultivation of empathy. Full article

Understanding and addressing dehumanization in healthcare is crucial due to its profound impact on patient care, ethical implications on patient dignity and autonomy, and its potential to affect the psychological well-being of healthcare professionals. The primary aim of this study was to establish reliable and valid instruments measuring two different types of dehumanization, namely animalistic dehumanization (i.e., stripping one of their uniquely human characteristics) and mechanistic dehumanization (i.e., stripping one of their human nature characteristics) among healthcare professionals. In this cross-sectional validation study among healthcare professionals, we tested measures of both animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization, focusing on the dehumanization of patients (hetero-dehumanization) and oneself (self-dehumanization), respectively. All measures were developed and validated based on a concept analysis, a literature review, and an appraisal of pre-existing scales. The research was conducted among 400 nurses and medical doctors employed in Greek public hospitals. Coefficient validity ratio results showed that 100% of items were acceptable for both measures. The newly established and validated hetero-dehumanization scale encompassed two factors (factor 1: animalistic dehumanization, factor 2: mechanistic dehumanization; Cronbach’s alpha was equal to 0.86 for each measure). The self-dehumanization scale was a mono-factorial measure of mechanistic dehumanization (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.97). Two validated measures of (self- and hetero-) animalistic and mechanistic dehumanization measures were developed for the assessment of dehumanization among health professionals, which will form the basis for future research in this important scientific field. Full article