A new study led by Assistant Professor of psychology Alison Jane Martingano finds that the relationship between empathy and burnout depends on the type of empathy involved.
Published in the journal Psychology, Health & Medicine, the study analyzed data from more than 20,000 participants. Using systematic review and meta-analytic methods, Dr. Martingano showed that most types of empathy (including cognitive empathy and compassion) were associated with lower burnout. In contrast, emotional contagion (the tendency to absorb others’ emotions) was linked to higher burnout. These patterns were consistent across healthcare and non-healthcare professions.
The findings challenge the common assumption that caring deeply about others inevitably leads to burnout. Instead, the study suggests that many forms of empathy may be protective, making empathic people less likely to burnout than their non-empathic peers.
The article, Different empathy types show opposing associations with burnout: systematic review and meta-analyses, was published online on December 16, 2025.