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OBJECTIVES Empathy is an essential ability that allows us to tune into how others are feeling or thinking. Empathy makes it possible to resonate with others’ positive and negative feelings alike so that we can thus feel happy when we vicariously share the joy of others and we can share the experience of suffering when we empathize with someone in pain. Empathy training not only promotes prosocial behaviour, but also augments positive affect and resilience, which in turn fosters better coping with stressful situations. The Empathy Quotient (EQ) is a self-report questionnaire that was developed to measure the cognitive, affective, and behavioural aspects of empathy. Here, we aimed to examine the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the EQ in a Turkish sample. METHODS Participants were 436 mostly college students and civil servants (195 female, 241 male). Sociodemographic information, the Turkish version of the EQ, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MC-SDS) 33-item full version and MC-SDS 13-item shorter versions were administered. All statistical analyses were performed by using SPSS version 23 for Windows. RESULTS EQ scores were significantly higher in female participants ($\overline X $ Female = 46.45, SDFemale = 0.62) compared to the male participants ($\overline X $ Male = 43.68, SD Male = 0.56). The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.76, Guttman’s split-half reliability coefficient was 0.61, and test–retest reliability coefficient was 0.95. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the Turkish EQ and MC-SDS Full version (r = 0.299, p

Objective: Although most burnout research has focused on environmental job-related correlates, it is possible that personality factors also play an important role in the development of burnout. The aim of present study is to examine the relationship between personality and burnout in healthcare workers by using Cloninger’s psychobiological model and Maslach’s three-dimensional burnout model in a healthcare worker sample in Turkey. Methods: Our samples consisted of 66 male, 14 female and totally 80 healthcare organization workers. Sociodemographic form for all the participants was completed during the interviews. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Turkish TCI were completed by the participants. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses that determine best predictor of independent variables were performed to examine the association between the independent and dependent variables. Results: The hierarchical regression analysis has indicated that Self-Directedness was a significant predictor of depersonalization (β = −.347, R2 = .233, F = 1.878, p = .013) and Self-Transcendence and Self-Directedness were significant predictors of Personal Accomplishment (β = −.317, R2 = .176, F = 1.319, p = .029; β = −.328, R2 = .176, F = 1.319, p = .022; respectively), and Empathy and Self-Forgetfulness subscales were significant predictors of Personal Accomplishment (β = −.426, R2 = .106, F = 1.323, p = .013; β = −.400, R2 = .106, F = 1.323, p = .030; respectively). Conclusions: Our findings have shown that Self-Directedness, Empathy subscale of Cooperativeness and Self-Transcendence with its Self-Forgetfulness subscale were significant predictors of personal accomplishment dimension of burnout. Our results suggested a strong association between temperament and character dimensions of personality and burnout in healthcare workers.

Objective: Borderline personality disorder is a psychiatric condition, which is characterized by unstable interpersonal relationships, fear of abandonment, difficulties in regulating emotions, feeling of emptiness, chronic dysphoria and depression, and impulsivity and increased risk-taking behaviors. In this present study, we aimed to translate and establish psychometric properties and factorial validity of the Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ) in a representative Turkish university students sample and obtain normative data for future epidemiological and clinical studies in Turkey. Methods: Participants were 306 (201 females, 105 males) college students at the Hasan Kalyoncu University in Gaziantep, Turkey. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hasan Kalyoncu University. Sociodemographic information of the participants was collected and Turkish BEST, Turkish BPQ, BDI, PBQ, and State-Trait Anxiety scales were administered. All variables were screened for the accuracy of data entry, missing values, and homoscedasticity using SPSS version 23 for Windows. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the Turkish BPQ were ranging from 0.46 to 0.81. The lowest alpha coefficient was observed for the Abandonment (0.46). For the whole scale, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found to be 0.89. The test–retest (at after 1 month) correlation coefficients for Impulsivity, Affective Instability, Abandonment, Relationships, Self-Image, Suicide/Self-Mutilation, Emptiness, Intense Anger, and Quasi-Psychotic States were found to be 0.50, 0.77, 0.40, 0.68, 0.72, 0.48, 0.73, 0.74, and 0.62, respectively. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the Turkish BPQ and BEST (r = 0.337, p

Objective: Borderline Personality Disorder is a psychiatric condition, which is characterized by unstable interpersonal relationships, fear of abandonment, difficulties in regulating emotions, feeling of emptiness, chronic dysphoria and depression, and impulsivity and increased risk-taking behaviors. In this study, we aimed to translate and establish psychometric properties and factorial validity of the Borderline Evaluation of Severity over Time (BEST) in a representative Turkish university students sample and obtain normative data for future epidemiological and clinical studies in Turkey. Methods: Participants were 306 (201 females, 105 males) college students at the Hasan Kalyoncu University in Gaziantep, Turkey. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hasan Kalyoncu University. Sociodemographic information of the participants was collected and Turkish version of the BEST, the Turkish version of the Borderline Personality Questionnaire (BPQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Personality Belief Questionnaire (PBQ), and State–Trait Anxiety scales were administered. All statistical analysis were performed by using SPSS version 23 for Windows. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for the Thoughts and Feelings, Negative Behaviors and Positive Behaviors subscales were 0.80, 0.65, and 0.67, respectively. For the whole scale, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.75. The test–retest correlation coefficients for Thoughts and Feelings, Negative Behaviors and Positive Behaviors were 0.61, 0.50, and 0.51, respectively. A positive and statistically significant correlation was found between the Turkish BEST and BPQ (r = 0.337, p