Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42070049›Full record

Trial reportBMC geriatrics2026

Effects of a brief aging simulation suit intervention on clinical empathy in healthcare professionals working in long-term care: a randomized controlled trial.

Sergio Serrada-Tejeda, Paula Obeso-Benítez, Lucía Hernández-Hernández, Fernando Martínez-Cuervo, Marta Pérez-de-Heredia-Torres, Patricia Sánchez-Herrera-Baeza, Aitor Yusta-Ceacero, Rosa M Martínez-Piédrola

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07280689 (Mejorar la empatía Hacia el Mayor Mediante la simulación de la Vejez), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07280689 nacompletednot on this map

Mejorar la empatía Hacia el Mayor Mediante la simulación de la Vejez

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversidad Rey Juan CarlosRan2024 to 2024Enrolled82ConditionsAging, Empathy SkillsArmsExperimental: Aging Simulation Suit + Educational Session, Control: Educational Session Only
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Sergio Serrada-TejedaDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain.
Paula Obeso-BenítezDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain. paula.obeso@urjc.es.
Lucía Hernández-HernándezDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain. lucia.hernandez@urjc.es.
Fernando Martínez-CuervoDirectorate of Care, Quality and Safety, Socio-sanitary Coordination and Knowledge Management of the Autonomous Body Residential Establishments for the Elderly of Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
Marta Pérez-de-Heredia-TorresDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain.
Patricia Sánchez-Herrera-BaezaDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain.
Aitor Yusta-CeaceroDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain.
Rosa M Martínez-PiédrolaDepartment of Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Research Group in Evaluation and Assessment of Capacity, Functionality, and Disability (TO+IDI), University Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Madrid, 28922, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundClinical empathy refers to a healthcare professional's ability to understand a patient's experiences and emotions through cognitive and affective perspective taking, and to communicate that understanding through compassionate and appropriate professional behaviors. Aging simulation suits are experiential educational tools designed to replicate the sensory and physical limitations associated with aging. However, evidence regarding their effectiveness in enhancing clinical empathy among active healthcare professionals remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an aging simulation suit on clinical empathy among healthcare professionals working in long-term care settings.

methodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted with 82 healthcare professionals from four nursing homes in Madrid and Asturias (Spain). Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (EG) (n=41) or a control group (CG) (n=41). Both groups received the same structured educational session on empathy and aging. The experimental group additionally participated in an immersive experience using the GERT aging simulation suit, whereas the control group did not receive the simulation component. Self-reported empathy were measured pre- and post-intervention using the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions version (JSPE-HPS).

resultsNo significant differences were found between groups in IRI scores. However, the experimental group showed significant improvements in total JSPE-HPS scores and in the subscales Perspective Taking and Compassionate Care (p < 0.05), compared with the control group. These findings suggest that the immersive intervention enhanced both cognitive and affective components of clinical empathy.

conclusionsThe use of an aging simulation suit was associated with improvements in specific dimensions of clinical empathy among healthcare professionals working in long-term care. This educational tool offers a valuable experiential approach that enhances understanding and compassion toward older adults. However, these findings are limited to short-term, self-reported measures, and no behavioral or patient outcome data were collected. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine the long-term sustainability of these effects and their translation into clinical practice.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, Unique Protocol ID: 2711201916919; ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07280689. Date of registration: 10/10/2025. Retrospectively registered.

Indexed as

AgingEmpathyHealth PersonnelLong-Term CareSimulation TrainingAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNursing HomesAging simulation suitClinical educationEmpathyHealthcare professionalsLong-term carePerson-centered careRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID42070049
PMCPMC13262200

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.