A scoping review of factors associated with pain empathy among nursing professionals and students

Abstract

Objective To map the factors associated with pain empathy among nursing professionals and students and provide a theoretical basis for intervention research. Methods Guided by the methodological framework of scoping review, databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database were searched for studies on factors associated with pain empathy. The search period was from the establishment of each database to December 16, 2025. Two researchers independently screened literature and extracted data, and the included studies were summarized and analyzed. Results A total of 27 studies were included: 23 cross-sectional, 3 qualitative, and 1 quasi-experimental. Sixteen used the Empathy for Pain Scale, 7 used general-empathy measures in pain-related contexts, 1 used fMRI, and 3 were qualitative. The reported factors included personal background, work experience, training history, pain-related factors, psychological and emotional state, and social support and environment. Conclusion Pain empathy among nursing professionals and students was associated with multiple factors, but the heterogeneous constructs and predominantly cross-sectional evidence do not support causal inference. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are needed.