Objective:

Identify profiles that describe the way in which the level of empathy and assertiveness are associated with the level of anxiety and depression, sex and year of academic training in nursing students.

Method:

909 nursing students completed the Multidimensional Empathy Scale, the Assertiveness factor of the Multidimensional Assertiveness Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory.

Results:

4 profiles were obtained: 1. Women, “minor” assertiveness, “mild” or “moderate” depression, “moderate” anxiety; 2. “Higher” assertiveness, “mild” anxiety, “medium” empathy, first year of training; 3. “High” empathy, “severe” depression and anxiety, third year of academic training; 4. Men, “low” empathy, “minimal” depression and anxiety, fourth year of training.

Conclusion:

A “functional” profile was detected, with greater assertiveness, a medium level of empathy and mild anxiety. A low level of empathy is associated with minimal levels of anxiety and depression in men. Finally, low levels of assertiveness are associated with moderate levels of anxiety and depression in women.

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