How are Empathy and Social Problem-Solving Linked to Demographic Information? A Survey Among Veterinary Students From Türkiye

This study aimed to determine the social problem-solving skills and empathy levels among veterinary faculty students and to examine the associations of these variables with demographic factors. A total of 2,062 students from 29 veterinary faculties across Türkiye answered an online questionnaire consisting of demographic information, the Social Problem-Solving Inventory–Revised: Short Form (SPSI-R:S), and the Basic Empathy Scale (BES). Results showed that male students were more successful in social problem-solving skills, while female students had higher levels of empathy. Both cognitive empathy and general empathy scores for students living in villages were lower than for those living in big cities. Cognitive empathy and emotional empathy scores for students decreased as the class year at the faculty increased. In addition, students who planned to work in the pet sector had higher empathy scores than those who planned to work in other sectors. A positive association was observed between students’ satisfaction with their choice of veterinary medicine profession and their social problem-solving skills and empathy levels. There was a negative correlation between social problem-solving skills and emotional empathy ability ( p < 0.001; r = –0.220) and a positive correlation with cognitive empathy ability ( p < 0.01; r = 0.323). In conclusion, the study identified associations between cognitive empathy and social problem-solving skills in veterinary students, contributing to the understanding of professional skills development in veterinary education.