The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure is a 10-item patient-assessed questionnaire that captures empathetic support provided for patients in clinical and general medical settings. Items assess how well the patient felt their doctor listened, was positive and compassionate.
Geographies Tested: United Kingdom
Populations Included: Female, Male
Age Range: Adults
Please rate the following statements about today’s consultation. Please tick the box for each statement and answer every statement.
How was the doctor at...
1. Making you feel at ease
2. Letting you tell your "story"
3. Really listening
4. Being interested in you as a whole person
5. Fully understanding your concerns
6. Showing care and compassion
7. Being positive
8. Explaining things clearly
9. Helping you to take control
10. Making a plan of action with you
Response Options:
Poor - 1
Fair - 2
Good - 3
Very Good - 4
Excellent - 5
Does Not Apply
Items were summed to create a scale. Higher scores indicate higher empathy in the consultation process.
Mercer, S. W., Maxwell, M., Heaney, D., & Watt, G. C. M. (2004). The consultation and relationship empathy (CARE) measure: Development and preliminary validation and reliability of an empathy-based consultation process measure. Family Practice, 21(6), 699-705. https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmh621
Psychometric Score
Citation Frequency
Ease of Use Score
Formative ResearchQualitative Research
Existing Literature/Theoretical Framework
Field Expert Input
Cognitive Interviews / Pilot Testing
ReliabilityInternal
Test-retest
Interrater
ValidityContent
Face
Criterion (gold-standard)
Construct
Ease of UseReadability
Scoring Clarity
Length
KEYEvidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality (EMERGE)
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