La enseñanza y el aprendizaje de la empatía para el trabajo social

Resumo

This investigation is part of my interest in education and the teaching of empathy in Social Work as a basic element of the relational processes. By observing Social Work students, who are considered highly empathic but show some difficulties when showing empathy in the relationships stablished in class, I stimulate their interest for knowing how empathy is being taught and if it is being addressed from a multidimensional perspective that provides students with an affective, cognitive and attitudinal baggage, that will allow them to stablish empathic relationships in their professional future. The main objective of this investigation is the theoretical and practical training of empathy in the students of the Social Work degree. The word empathy, which has been used several times lately, it has different meanings, such as a skill, an attitude or a personality trait. Depending on the consideration that someone has of the concept, it will affect the way in which such concept is taught. The general objectives of this investigation are: to revise and update the concepts related to empathy and its application in the teaching process and especially in the education of Social Workers; to elaborate a map of the integration process of the study of empathy in the Social Work degree in Spanish Universities; to analyze the teaching and learning processes of empathy in the student body of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and know the opinion of the students and teachers and show a relation between the knowledge and the skills provided to students to give response to social needs and the principles and objectives established by the Social Work...