Empathy and Communication Skills in Pre-Service Teachers

A Study of Structural Relationships

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the levels, differences, and interrelationships of empathy and communication skills among pre-service teachers. Designed as a quantitative study, the research was conducted with 437 pre-service teachers enrolled in teacher education programs in Turkiye. The data were collected using the Communication Skills Inventory and the Empathy Quotient Scale. The measurement structures were initially tested via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), followed by descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests for group differences, Pearson correlation for associations, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine predictive relationships between empathy and communication dimensions. The descriptive results indicated generally high levels of empathy and communication skills among pre-service teachers. Regarding gender-based comparisons, female participants scored significantly higher than males in empathy and constructive communication. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate and positive association between empathy and constructive communication, while the relationship between empathy and communication barriers was not statistically significant. The structural model demonstrated that empathy significantly predicted constructive communication, whereas its direct effect on communication barriers was not significant. These findings suggest that empathy contributes primarily to the development of constructive communication behaviors rather than to the reduction of communication barriers. Educational administrators should recognize the significant role of interpersonal competencies in shaping the relational dimensions of school environments. While empathy appears to support constructive communication, reducing communication barriers may require broader organizational interventions.