The Relationship Between Empathic Tendency and Happiness Levels in Associate Degree Students Studying in the Health Field: A Descriptive and Cross-sectional Study

Objective:The research was planned to determine the relationship between empathic tendency and happiness level in associate degree students studying in the field of health. Method:The study is of descriptive cross-sectional type. The research was conducted at a university with 280 students who agreed to participate. Data were collected using the empathic behavior scale and the happiness level scale. The analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS 25.0 program, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and correlation analysis for the relationship between variables. Results:The mean age of the participants was 21.11 (±3.86) and 83.9% of them were women. The empathy scale mean score is 54.67, and the average happiness level score is 22.92. Women’s empathy tendencies were found to be higher. It was determined that the happiness scale scores of the participants showed a statistically significant difference according to their income level and place of residence (p<0.05). A statistically significant and positive relationship (r=0.169, p<0.01) was found between empathy and happiness level. Conclusion:Empathy tendencies and happiness levels of health professionals have an important place in the delivery of quality and efficient health services. It is important for managers to regularly monitor the data on empathy tendencies and happiness levels of health professionals to provide a good working environment, offer opportunities that allow them to develop themselves, and provide necessary support. It is recommended to support participation in events such as in-service trainings, congresses, and symposia.