Narrative medicine education improves residents' empathy ability compared with lecture-based learning, though with publication bias detected¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r3 · q3 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i3 Narrative medicine education was associated with significantly improved empathy ability (SMD = 1.51, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.26), reduced to SMD = 1.01 after trim-and-fill adjustment. → Dai Dongjun 2026

Evidence¶

Dai Dongjun 2026¶

Dai Dongjun, Fan Yuzhi, Zhang Wenbao, Wei Qichun. (2026). The effect of narrative medicine-based education on academic performance and humanistic communication in residency training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-53552-x

q3 · i3 · quant-synthesis · r3

Random-effects meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled studies (408 vs 410 residents), empathy mainly assessed with the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. The pooled effect size SMD = 1.51 (95% CI 0.76 to 2.26) was significant (P < 0.001) with high heterogeneity (I2 = 88.9%).

"empathy ability (14 studies with 408 residents in narrative medicine group and 410 in LBL group, SMD = 1.51, 95% CI 0.76 to 2.26, P < 0.001; I2 = 88.9%)"

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Social Awareness and Relationship Skills — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Narrative medicine education improves residents' humanistic care ability and doctor-patient communication compared with lecture-based learning — related
• Narrative medicine education improves residents' procedural skill scores compared with lecture-based learning — related
• Residents report higher satisfaction with narrative medicine education than lecture-based learning, but the effect is not robust to publication-bias adjustment — related
• Narrative medicine education shows no significant effect on residents' theoretical knowledge scores compared with lecture-based learning — related
• Empathy was assessed primarily through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews; only two studies used objective indicators such as facial emotion recognition — related