Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41856950›Full record

SynthesisInternational nursing review2026

Impact of Subdomains of Affective and Cognitive Empathy on Burnout Syndrome in Nurses: A Meta-Analysis.

Madson Alan Maximiano-Barreto, Adrieli Oliveira Raminelli, Bruna Moretti Luchesi, Marcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas, Marisa Matias, Flávia de Lima Osório

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in International nursing review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Madson Alan Maximiano-BarretoDepartment of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1314-9846
Adrieli Oliveira RaminelliDepartment of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3890-7535
Bruna Moretti LuchesiResearch Group on Mental Health, Cognition and Aging, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0508-0818
Marcos Hortes Nisihara ChagasDepartment of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3752-7984
Marisa MatiasSchool of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Center for Psychology, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5755-5096
Flávia de Lima OsórioDepartment of Neuroscience and Behavioral Sciences, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1396-555X

Funding

National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) 150062/2024-9National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) 402148/2024-0National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq- Productivity Research Fellow) 302225/20226National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq- Productivity Research Fellow) 308019/2023-7National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq- Productivity Research Fellow) 309870/2025-9Portuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyState of São Paulo Research Assistance Foundation (FAPESP) 2024/02908-4
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimTo investigate the association between empathy and the subdomains of affective and cognitive empathy and burnout syndrome in nurses from any health field.

backgroundEmpathy is an ability composed of affective and cognitive domains that have been widely studied in healthcare providers. Affective and cognitive empathy have subdomains, and the associations with burnout syndrome are under-investigated. Burnout syndrome is an occupational disease that often affects nurses.

methodsA meta-analysis was conducted guided by the PRISMA Statement checklist and was registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42024600740). Twenty-nine studies met the eligibility criteria.

resultsA negative correlation was found between global empathy and burnout syndrome. When considering the subdomains of affective empathy, no statistically significant correlation was found with empathic concern, whereas a moderate positive correlation was found between personal distress and burnout syndrome. Considering the subdomains of cognitive empathy, a weak negative correlation was found between perspective taking and burnout syndrome, whereas a weak positive correlation with fantasy was found. DISCUSSION: The subdomains of empathy are distinctly related to burnout syndrome in nurses. Perspective taking served as a protective factor for the mental health of these health professionals.

conclusionsGlobal empathy was negatively associated with burnout syndrome, while its subdomains showed distinct and sometimes opposing associations. When considering the subdomains of affective and cognitive empathy, distinct interactions were identified. Personal distress and fantasy were positively correlated with burnout syndrome, whereas perspective taking was negatively correlated. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Understanding the impact of empathy subdomains can assist in the planning of interventions aimed at optimizing empathic functioning while minimizing risks to nurses' mental health.

Indexed as

Burnout, ProfessionalNursesAdultCognitionEmpathyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle Agedaffective empathyburnout syndromecognitive empathyempathymeta‐analysesnursing

Identifiers

PMID41856950
PMCPMC13002559

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.