Objectives This study conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to explore the relationship between empathy and each symptom dimension in patients with psychopathology. Although there have been earlier studies on how empathy impacts mental health for ordinary people, this study is meaningful, as it is one of the first attempts to analyze the relationship between empathy and the major symptom dimensions of psychopathology in patients. Methods The survey was conducted on 110 patients, 85 males (77.3%) and 25 females (22.7%), who visited a university hospital in the Kyeonggi province. First, a descriptive and corre-lational analysis was conducted on the nine sub-variables of empathy and psychopathology, which are the main variables of this study. The demographic characteristics of the study partici-pants were also examined. Subsequently, hierarchical regression analysis was performed, con-trolling for sex, age, and social desirability, to examine whether empathy affects the sub-factors of psychopathology. All data were analyzed using SPSS 27.0, and there were no missing values. Results The results were as follows: six variables (somatization, obsessive-compulsion, inter-personal sensitivity, hostility, paranoia, psychosis) showed a statistically significant negative rela-tionship with empathy. That is, empathy played a protective role in these variables. On the other hand, depression did not have a statistically significant relationship with empathy, and anxiety and phobic anxiety were not associated with empathy. Conclusion There is a possibility that empathic ability can act as a protective factor for mental health. To promote community mental health, it is suggested that a health education program be developed that appropriately utilizes empathy.