Network meta-analysis ranks didactic-plus-rehearsal as the most effective empathy teaching-method combination, with six combinations significantly beating pure control¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · quant-synthesis r3 · q3 · i3 large
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i3 In the network meta-analysis, didactic and rehearsal (DH) ranked highest by SUCRA (96.1%), followed by didactic and reflection (86.2%); six combinations were significantly more effective than pure control, with DH showing d = 2.08. → Ngo Hazel 2025 q3 i? The consistency assumption was met (χ2(33) = 39.11, p = .21), supporting the validity of indirect comparisons in the network. → Ngo Hazel 2025 (2)

Evidence¶

Ngo Hazel 2025¶

Ngo Hazel, Sokolovic Nina, Hu Julia, Jenkins Jennifer. (2025). A systematic review identifying effective teaching methods and their combinations for increasing empathy in physicians: pairwise and network meta-analysis. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07917-x

q3 · i3 · quant-synthesis · r3

Random-effects network meta-analysis of 24 unique teaching-method combinations and 55 direct comparisons, ranked by SUCRA values. The article reports the top three combinations "consisted of didactic and rehearsal (DH, 96.1%); didactic and reflection (DR, 86.2%)". Six combinations were significantly more effective than pure control, including DH (d = 2.08) and DR (d = 1.42), with wide confidence intervals for the top two.

"Results in Table 3 show that the top three combinations consisted of didactic and rehearsal (DH, 96.1%); didactic and reflection (DR, 86.2%); and didactic, rehearsal, reflection and observation (DHRO, 65.3%)."

Ngo Hazel 2025 (2)¶

Ngo Hazel, Sokolovic Nina, Hu Julia, Jenkins Jennifer. (2025). A systematic review identifying effective teaching methods and their combinations for increasing empathy in physicians: pairwise and network meta-analysis. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07917-x

q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r3

Design-by-treatment interaction model test of the consistency assumption for the network meta-analysis run in STATA SE. The article reports the global test "indicated no significant disagreement between direct and indirect estimates". Heterogeneity of variance was moderately high (τ2 = 0.68).

"A global test of inconsistency [χ2 (33)= 39.11, p =.21] indicated no significant disagreement between direct and indirect estimates, supporting the assumption of coherence and the validity of indirect comparisons [43]."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Including didactic teaching is associated with greater intervention effectiveness for teaching empathy to physicians — related
• Interventions using two teaching methods outperformed those using three, though based on few studies with wide confidence intervals — related