Effect of Clinician-Expressed Empathy in Advanced Cancer on Different Ethnic Groups: Results from an Experimental Video-Vignette Study.

In advanced cancer, clinician-expressed empathy can improve patients' psychological outcomes. It remains unknown whether all patients benefit equally from empathy. To explore whether the effect of clinician-expressed empathy on patients' psychological outcomes is moderated by patient ethnicity. Using an experimental video-vignette design, 160 participants watched a consultation-video with/without added empathy. Using regression analysis, the moderating effect of ethnicity (non-Western- vs. Dutch/Western-immigration background) on the relationship between empathy and psychological outcomes was assessed. The main effect of empathy on satisfaction ( = 0.001), trust ( = 0.002), and self-efficacy ( < 0.001) was moderated by ethnicity (satisfaction,  = 0.050; trust,  = 0.066; self-efficacy,  = 0.075). No main effect of empathy nor moderation by ethnicity was found for anxiety (state anxiety:  = 0.284,  = 0.319; current anxiety:  = 0.357,  = 0.949). No main effects of ethnicity (satisfaction,  = 0.942; trust,  = 0.724; self-efficacy,  = 0.244; state anxiety,  = 0.812; current anxiety  = 0.523) were found. In advanced cancer, non-Western patients might benefit most from empathy. Dutch Trial Registration Number: NTR NL8992.