Abstract
This study examines the relationship between teachers’ empathetic communication and their academic performance, focusing on two dimensions: empathetic concern and perspective taking. The main objective was to determine if there is a positive and significant relationship between empathetic communication and teaching performance in the university context. A descriptive correlational design was employed to analyze data collected from 364 students from private universities in Lima. Twenty-four items of empathetic communication and 23 of teaching performance were evaluated using a Likert scale survey. As a result, Spearman correlation analyses revealed a positive and significant correlation between empathetic communication and teaching performance (r = 0.211, P < 0.01). Furthermore, positive, and significant correlations were found between empathetic concern (r = 0.279, P < 0.01) and perspective taking (r = 0.166, P < 0.01) with teaching performance. It is concluded that empathetic communication is positively associated with teaching performance, highlighting the importance of developing empathetic communication skills in teachers to enhance their effectiveness in the classroom. However, caution is advised to balance empathy to avoid potential biases or deviations in teaching. It is recommended to focus teacher training programs on strengthening these social skills to optimize the teaching learning process.
Keywords: Correlation, education, empathetic communication, student, teaching performance, university
Introduction
Socioeconomic changes have drastically affected lifestyles. Today, unprecedented interpersonal difficulties are being experienced. These changes have manifested due to the social isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic. Influenced by overcrowding, daily pressure, work stress, underemployment, and economic, family, political, work, and health instability, this context has motivated science to emphasize the study of interpersonal skills. Living in harmony with others is fundamental in the workplace and in education. Empathetic communication is a crucial variable for understanding the social and academic success of teachers. The concept of empathetic communication highlights the role that the social interaction plays in intellect, social adaptation, and personal and collective balance.[1,2]
In educational organizations around the world, a new normal is developing, where classes are conducted virtually, both synchronously and asynchronously.[3] In Peru, in 2020, DS 008 2020 SA Guidance for the continuity of the Higher University Educational Service in the context of a national health emergency was approved, which regulates the norms for the implementation of virtual classes in universities, considering the actors of the respective community. This situation necessitates a change in the functions of the teacher-student relationship and in the skills to support them. University teachers have become indispensable agents in human talent development, meaning they are not just transmitters of information. The social and interactive dimension has gained relevance with the emergence of new technologies in education; in this scenario, a key competency to promote learning processes in virtual environments is communicative ability with empathy.[3] In this sense, the modern profile of the teacher includes the ability to communicate assertively with students, as it not only develops the cognitive and technical competencies of their students but also helps to sustain the values and communicative skills with empathy, which are necessary and valued today. The socio-emotional competencies of teachers play an important role in promoting socio-emotional learning in students.
However, Higher University Education faces new challenges such as responding to greater diversity and inclusion. In this context, more attention is paid to teachers and their teaching skills positively related to student learning; thus, beyond the key knowledge of an effective teacher, teachers must be able to unravel, what their students think and believe, and how they adapt to new information.[4,5,6]
Furthermore, there are questions such as: why do some teachers perform better in their work than others? why do some, with high IQs, specialization, and master’s degrees, outstanding in their profession, not communicate effectively in the classroom? these questions, according to,[7] can be answered with the concept of social skills, competencies belonging to social intelligence, known as emotional intelligence.
The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between empathetic communication and teacher performance, as the ability to communicate non-violently allows channeling the emotions of the educator and their students. Thus, it achieves creating an environment, where the teaching-learning process is developed from the knowledge of the attitudes and needs of the students. It also contributes to the identification of weaknesses and deficiencies in the empathetic communication perceived by teachers, which can serve as a diagnosis to redirect teacher training, to delve into and fulfill the enhancement of this basic skill required.
Understanding empathetic communication requires first grappling with empathy itself, recognized as a key factor in fostering people’s pro-social behaviors and curtailing violence. This complexity of empathy, as highlighted by[8] and showcases it as a nuanced social skill. It’s manifested through an individual’s behaviors in interpersonal contexts—expressing feelings, attitudes, desires, opinions, or rights appropriate to the situation, and in a manner that respects and often resolves immediate problems through both verbal and non-verbal means, facilitating assertive relationships.
Empathy extends beyond mere reaction; it involves the capability to emotionally connect with others by placing oneself in their situation, striving to see from their perspective. This emotional resonance, as[9,10] elucidate, stems from understanding another’s condition or state, mirroring their feelings. In education, this empathetic skill is often referred to as “pedagogical tact”—a concept coined in pedagogical theory to describe a teacher’s intuitive sensitivity to student needs and context.[11] It is closely related to “nonviolent communication” as proposed by Rosenberg,[5] both emphasizing active and compassionate engagement in the classroom.
It[12] model of “nonviolent communication” or compassionate communication suggests techniques for fostering empathetic dialogue. Central to this approach is the recognition and ownership of one’s emotions, steering clear of fear, guilt, shame, or criticism, and enhancing communication through clear expression of feelings and needs. This model underlines empathy’s dual dimensions: empathetic concern, marked by feelings of care and sadness for another’s plight, and perspective-taking, the ability to comprehend another’s viewpoint.
Empathy’s significance transcends the individual, impacting broader social interactions. Studies show that empathetic individuals tend to be less aggressive, attributing this to their emotional sensitivity and understanding of potential negative outcomes of their actions. This capacity to connect, to truly engage with others’ needs and feelings, is crucial across professions, especially in education and health sciences. In these fields, empathy enhances verbal and non-verbal communication, fostering satisfaction in interactions, such as those between doctors and patients.
Teachers play a pivotal role in student development, serving not just as facilitators of learning but also as providers of emotional security, guidance, and support during adversity. They are tasked with creating an emotional climate through their attitudes and the way they manage activities. By developing and strengthening emotional intelligence—especially empathy, self-motivation, social skills, and spirituality—teachers are better equipped to lead or manage their classes.[11,12] This enables them to set positive standards for smoother student participation and the expression of a wide range of emotions. Thus, it is beneficial for teachers to establish empathetic relationships characterized by affection, trust, respect, dialogue, and understanding.[13] Found that teachers’ socio-emotional competencies play a significant role in fostering socio-emotional learning in schools, with empathetic teachers displaying higher levels of morality and successfully encouraging empathetic relationships and motivation among students. However, literature on developing empathy in teachers is scarce.
It[14] observed that affective behaviors, including respect for students, empathy, and the use of affective communication skills, were essential in influencing students’ learning environments. Students’ perceptions of their teachers’ care can affect their view of the learning environment and their sense of belonging, thereby influencing their intention to graduate. Student perceptions of their instructors’ affective behaviors inside and outside the classroom are crucial for motivating continued learning. Consequently, teachers’ workload could impact their attentiveness to students. Empathy enhances teachers’ abilities to respond to youth in ways that evidence Culturally Responsive Pedagogy; teachers with technical knowledge, social skills, and personal capabilities (empathy and understanding of the situation) allow for rapid adaptation to courses, regardless of the methodology. For instance, online teaching deficiencies are related to teachers’ personalities and characteristics.[15]
It[16] conducted research across four countries (England, Finland, Malawi, and Oman) to examine the critical non-cognitive attributes (most important for effective teaching) of novice teachers. The iterative comparative case study revealed consistent judgments of certain attributes of novice teachers as critical: empathy, organization, and resilience.[17] aimed to determine the impact of empathy in postgraduate clinical training, considering dental learners’ empathy from cognitive, behavioral, and patient perspectives. They found that enhancing empathy in health education is fundamental to developing a professional-patient relationship, ensuring better care, contributing to satisfaction and treatment adherence, facilitating medication self-efficacy, improving treatment outcomes, and reducing patient anxiety. According to[18] the interplay of verbal and non-verbal communication and empathy is the crucial for doctor-patient interactions and associated with patient satisfaction.
There are proposals to improve verbal and non-verbal communication in university classrooms.[19] In any teaching situation, it is essential for the teacher to establish an appropriate connection with their students. Key guidelines for effective communication include: a) establishing a positive relationship based on trust and respect to create an affective climate that favors learning; and b) demonstrating a commitment to students’ learning, which in turn promotes their motivation and engagement.
This raises the question: Can empathetic communication in teachers be developed? Empathetic communication is a social skill that involves the ability to convey information assertively. Social Skills Training (SST) consists of a set of techniques or specific moments that help overcome and improve HS deficits in an individual’s areas and life, triggered by social exchange.[20] Accordingly, empathetic communication can be developed through various techniques.[20,21]
In[22] have explored the cognitive domain of communicative competencies and found empathy to be a variable that requires strategic messaging and communication. They utilized a tool known as the Communicative Adaptability Scale (CAS) for this purpose.[23] proposed a model of empathetic communication, aimed at predicting the influence of empathetic communication processes. Within their model, “perspective-taking” is highlighted as a predictor of effective communication.
These findings underscore the importance of empathetic communication in the educational setting, particularly in fostering an environment conducive to emotional and social learning. The development of empathetic communication skills among teachers is crucial not only for the academic success of students but also for their emotional well-being and social development. Training programs and interventions designed to enhance empathetic communication can provide teachers with the tools they need to effectively connect with their students, promote a positive learning environment, and address the diverse needs of their classrooms.
Empathetic communication, therefore, is not an innate trait but a skill that can be cultivated through focused training and practice. By incorporating empathetic communication techniques into their teaching strategies, educators can create more inclusive, supportive, and engaging learning experiences for all students. This approach not only benefits the student-teacher relationship but also prepares students to be more empathetic, socially aware, and emotionally intelligent individuals outside of the classroom.
In conclusion, the development of empathetic communication in teachers is essential for enhancing the emotional and social learning experiences of students. As the research indicates, empathetic teachers can significantly impact students’ learning environments, motivation, and overall success. Therefore, educational institutions and teacher training programs should prioritize the cultivation of empathetic communication skills to foster positive teacher-student relationships and promote a supportive and effective learning environment.
Education is regarded as a primary vehicle for learning. As such, teacher performance evaluation is conducted in nearly all universities, yet there’s no legal mandate requiring its implementation. In these institutions, professionals design and apply assessment tools, often relying on traditional questionnaires aimed at capturing data related to teaching dimensions.[24,25] links the quality of education directly to the quality of the teacher, a cornerstone of the educational process.[26] Being a teaching professional demands a comprehensive set of knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, virtues, and competencies.[27] Hence, the need for teachers with holistic training capable of acting as promoters and agents of change, constantly updating their personal and professional growth to introduce significant pedagogical improvements.[28] emphasizes teachers as essential to achieving quality education, a sentiment echoed by who argues that educational quality hinges on the performance quality of those involved.
However, research on university faculty often focuses on their training, professional conditions, and social dimensions, neglecting personal aspects. Yet, personal qualities are increasingly seen as a crucial technical requirement.[29] Students demand competencies and teaching abilities primarily centered on the pedagogical and social characteristics of the teacher (good communicator, dynamic, expressive, and so on), including empathetic qualities like listening skills, knowing the students, offering help, and being empathetic, patient, flexible, tolerant, and approachable. Students value teachers, who can adjust to their pace and show solidarity, moving away from the stern professorial image toward a more student-friendly attitude.[26]
Teacher performance evaluation is a systematic process for gathering valid and reliable data to assess the educational impact of a teacher’s pedagogical skills, emotional intelligence, work responsibility, and interpersonal relationships with students, parents, administrators, colleagues, and community institution representatives.[30,31] describes outstanding teachers as those who are deeply concerned with their students’ learning, meeting their needs, passionate about their subjects, and continually eager to learn, thereby leaving a lasting impact on students’ ways of “thinking, acting, and feeling.”
The best teachers possess a thorough and current knowledge of their disciplines and their historical development, helping students to think metacognitively. Knowledge is seen as a progressive construction of new intellectual models of reality based on available mental models, leading to what is called deep learning. These exceptional teachers leverage intrinsic motivation and interest to create what the author terms “a natural critical learning environment.”[32] Thus, teacher performance evaluations aim to assist teachers in enhancing their instruction and are used for making decisions about hiring, firing, promotions, and salary determinations, considering whether the evaluation should be focus on improving learning (formative evaluation) or on grading, rewarding, or punishing performance (summative evaluation).[33]
In university settings, studies on empathy from various theoretical perspectives—such as that of Lémonie et al.[34]—have emphasized the importance of the teacher–student relationship in enhancing learning, highlighting empathy’s central role in effective pedagogy. Research also seeks to estimate empathy’s impact on education and training.[35] Empathetic communication has been extensively studied as a conceptual construct.[4] Analyzed the predictive power of sociodemographic variables, empathy, and social dominance orientation on teachers’ attitudes, feelings, and concerns. Emotional empathy generated positive attitudes, while social dominance predicted negative attitudes affecting performance. Aimed to measure empathy levels in teachers engaged in virtual activities, using the CAES scale consisting of 33 items measuring perspective-taking, emotional understanding, empathic stress, and empathic joy, with responses recorded on a Likert scale.[36] Underscore the importance of communicative understanding as a mediator and facilitator of interpersonal relationships, promoting tolerance, willingness to understand, negotiation, and social preservation through a culture of dialogue.
Material and Methods
Study design and setting
This study employs a descriptive-correlational design, non-experimental and cross-sectional in nature. It is descriptive as it delineates the reality being studied, outlines its characteristics, and specifies its incidence. That is, it aims to determine the levels of empathetic communication and teacher performance, describe their features, and identify some demographic differences.
Study participants and sampling
The study’s sample consisted of 364 students from private universities in Lima with a Business faculty and 30 years of establishment. This sample was selected to participate in the survey, measuring empathetic communication and job performance. The sample size was deemed sufficient to provide reliable insights, representing the target population. The participants were chosen from a specific context, allowing for an in-depth examination of the research questions. The sample’s characteristics provide a foundation for understanding the study’s findings and implications for teacher performance and empathetic communication in a business education setting.
Data collection tools and technique
A descriptive-correlational design was employed to analyze data collected from 364 students from private universities in Lima. Twenty-four items of empathetic communication and 23 of teaching performance were evaluated using a Likert scale survey.
Data collection procedure
The data collection procedure involved administering a survey to the sample of 364 students from private universities in Lima with a Business faculty. The survey consisted of two sections: empathetic communication (24 items) and job performance (23 items). Participants responded to the survey using a Likert scale, ranging from “Never” (1) to “Always” (5). The survey was distributed and collected in a controlled environment, ensuring participant confidentiality and anonymity. The data collection process was conducted in a single session, and participants were instructed to answer the questions honestly and to the best of their ability.
Variables
The research also adopts a correlational design to ascertain the relationship between two or more variables. In this context, it specifies the covariation between levels of empathetic communication and academic teacher performance. A survey was administered wherein the empathetic communication variable included 24 items.[6] For the job performance variable, 23 items were proposed. In both instances, a Likert scale was utilized (1, never; 2, almost never; 3, sometimes; 4, almost always; and 5, always).
Data analysis
The data collected from the survey was analyzed using statistical methods to examine the relationship between empathetic communication and job performance. Specifically, the analysis aimed to:
Describe the levels of empathetic communication and job performance among the participants
Identify the correlation between empathetic communication and job performance
Determine the reliability of the survey instruments using Cronbach’s Alpha
The analysis revealed a high reliability coefficient for job performance (α = 0.976) and a moderate reliability coefficient for empathetic communication (α = 0.772). The results provided insights into the relationship between empathetic communication and job performance, informing strategies for improvement in teacher performance and student outcomes.
The Table 1 has been reorganized to make it easier to read and understand. The variables and sub-variables have been grouped together, and the items have been numbered for clarity.
Table 1.
Operational matrix of study variables
| Empathetic Communication | |
|---|---|
| Empathetic Concern |
|
| Perspective Taking |
|
|
Teacher Performance | |
| Content Mastery |
|
| Teaching Strategies |
|
Source: Prepared by the author (2024)
Results
This chapter presents the findings and analysis of a study investigating the relationship between empathetic communication and teachers’ job performance, with a specific focus on the dimensions of empathetic concern and perspective taking. The analysis is based on the data collected from a sample of university students and utilizes the non-parametric Spearman’s rank correlation test, due to the non-normal distribution of the dataset.
The primary objective of this investigation is to examine the impact of empathetic communication, both within and beyond the academic environment, on the perceived effectiveness of teachers. To achieve this, the chapter is structured to first provide an overview of the descriptive statistics, offering insight into the distribution of empathetic communication and job performance levels among the sampled teachers.
Subsequently, the results of the Spearman’s correlation analysis are presented, elucidating the strength and direction of relationships between the variables of interest. Particular attention is given to interpreting the significant differences observed across various levels of empathetic engagement and their corresponding influence on job performance. This analysis aims to provide a deeper understanding of the role of empathetic communication in enhancing teachers’ job performance and ultimately, student outcomes.
Table 2 presents the distribution of empathetic communication levels and their dimensions among the sampled teachers. The table is divided into two main categories: Empathetic Concern and Perspective Taking, each with three sub-categories: Low, Medium, and High.
Table 2.
Levels of empathetic communication and their dimensions
| Dimension | Level | Empathetic communication |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low |
Medium |
High |
Total |
||||||
| f | % | f | % | f | % | f | % | ||
| Empathetic Concern | Low | 7 | 58.3 | 5 | 41.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 12 | 3.3 |
| Medium | 1 | 0.4 | 246 | 89.5 | 28 | 10.2 | 275 | 75.5 | |
| High | 0 | 0.0 | 14 | 18.2 | 63 | 81.8 | 77 | 21.2 | |
| Perspective Taking | Low | 7 | 77.8 | 2 | 22.2 | 0 | 0.0 | 9 | 2.5 |
| Medium | 1 | 0.3 | 238 | 81.8 | 52 | 17.9 | 291 | 79.9 | |
| High | 0 | 0.0 | 25 | 39.1 | 39 | 60.9 | 64 | 17.6 | |
| Total | 8 | 2.2 | 265 | 72.8 | 91 | 25.0 | 364 | 100 | |
Source: Prepared by the author (2024)
Empathetic concern
Low: 12 teachers (3.3%) scored low in empathetic concern, with 7 (58.3%) having a low level of empathetic concern and 5 (41.7%) having a medium level.
Medium: 275 teachers (75.5%) scored medium in empathetic concern, with 1 (0.4%) having a low level, 246 (89.5%) having a medium level, and 28 (10.2%) having a high level.
High: 77 teachers (21.2%) scored high in empathetic concern, with 14 (18.2%) having a medium level and 63 (81.8%) having a high level.
Perspective taking
Low: 9 teachers (2.5%) scored low in perspective taking, with 7 (77.8%) having a low level and 2 (22.2%) having a medium level.
Medium: 291 teachers (79.9%) scored medium in perspective taking, with 1 (0.3%) having a low level, 238 (81.8%) having a medium level, and 52 (17.9%) having a high level.
High: 64 teachers (17.6%) scored high in perspective taking, with 25 (39.1%) having a medium level and 39 (60.9%) having a high level.
Overall, most teachers (75.5%) scored medium in empathetic concern, while 79.9% scored medium in perspective taking. A smaller percentage of teachers scored high in both empathetic concern (21.2%) and perspective taking (17.6%).
The data from Table 2 provides a nuanced understanding of students’ perceptions of their teachers’ empathetic communication, revealing that:
Most teachers exhibit a medium level of empathetic concern (75.5%) and perspective taking (79.9%), indicating room for improvement in consistently demonstrating deeper empathy.
A substantial portion of teachers (21.2%) show high empathetic concern, highlighting a strong capacity to connect with and support students emotionally.
A minority of teachers (3.3% and 2.5%) struggle with empathetic concern and perspective taking, respectively, indicating variability in empathetic abilities.
Empathy is crucial in the educational setting, fostering a supportive and inclusive classroom atmosphere.
Ongoing professional development is needed to enhance empathetic communication skills, particularly for teachers with low levels of empathy.
Students perceive a lack of empathy outside the classroom, potentially due to teachers’ workload and lack of time to attend to students’ needs.
These findings emphasize the importance of empathy in teacher-student interactions, highlighting the need for educators to prioritize empathetic communication to create positive and effective learning experiences.[14]
Table 3 presents a descriptive analysis of teacher performance levels across two dimensions: Content Mastery and Didactic Strategies. The data reveal a hierarchical distribution of teacher performance, with most teachers exhibiting high levels of proficiency in both dimensions.
Table 3.
Description of teacher performance levels and their dimensions
| Content | Performance | Academic Performance |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low |
Medium |
High |
Total |
||||||
| Variable | Levels | f | % | f | % | f | % | f | % |
| Content Mastery | Low | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 0.8 |
| Medium | 1 | 1.7 | 42 | 72.4 | 15 | 25.9 | 58 | 15.9 | |
| High | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.3 | 302 | 99.7 | 303 | 83.2 | |
| Didactic Strategies | Low | 1 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0.3 |
| Medium | 0 | 0.0 | 46 | 79.3 | 12 | 20.7 | 58 | 15.9 | |
| High | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 305 | 100.0 | 305 | 83.8 | |
| Total | 1 | 0.3 | 46 | 12.6 | 317 | 87.1 | 364 | 100 | |
Source: Prepared by the author (2024)
In terms of Content Mastery, a significant proportion of teachers (83.2%, n = 303) demonstrate high levels of expertise, while 15.9% (n = 58) are categorized as medium performers. Notably, only a negligible percentage (0.8%, n = 3) of teachers are classified as low performers in this dimension.
Similarly, in the Didactic Strategies dimension, most teachers (83.8%, n = 305) exhibit high levels of proficiency, while 15.9% (n = 58) are categorized as medium performers. Interestingly, only one teacher (0.3%) is classified as a low performer in this dimension.
The findings suggest a strong overall proficiency in content knowledge and effective teaching strategies among the surveyed teachers. The data indicate a positive trend in teacher performance, with a significant proportion of teachers demonstrating high levels of expertise in both dimensions.
Table 4 reveals a positive and significant correlation between empathetic communication and teacher performance, with a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient of 0.211** (P < 0.01, two-tailed). This moderate positive association suggests a genuine relationship between the two variables, implying that increased empathetic communication is associated with improved teacher performance. The findings highlight the importance of empathetic communication in education, indicating that educators with higher empathetic communication skills tend to perform better in their roles. The statistical significance of the correlation reinforces the strength of this relationship, underscoring the value of empathetic communication for educators. These results have implications for teacher training and development programs, emphasizing the need to integrate empathetic communication skills into educator preparation.
Table 4.
Correlation between the variable’s empathetic communication and teacher performance
| Variable pair | Correlation Coefficient (ρ) | Empathetic communication | Teacher performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empathetic communication | Correlation coefficient | 1.000 | 0.211** |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 1.000 | 0.000 | |
| n | 364 | 364 | |
| Teacher performance | Correlation coefficient | 0.211** | 1.000 |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 0.000 | ||
| n | 364 | 364 |
Source: Prepared by the author (2024). ρ = Spearman’s correlation coefficient; (**) indicates significance at the 0.01 level (2-tailed)
Table 5 presents the correlation analysis between the dimension of empathetic concern and teacher performance. The results show a positive and significant correlation between the two variables, with a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient of 0.279** (P < 0.01, two-tailed). This indicates a moderate positive association between empathetic concern and teacher performance, suggesting that as empathetic concern increases, teacher performance also tends to improve. The statistical significance of the correlation reinforces the strength of this relationship, highlighting the importance of empathetic concern in the educational context. These findings imply that educators who exhibit higher levels of empathetic concern tend to perform better in their teaching roles, and emphasize the need to incorporate empathetic concern into teacher training and development programs.
Table 5.
Correlation between the dimension empathetic concern and teacher performance
| Dimension | Statistic | Empathetic communication | Teacher performance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rho de Spearman | Empathetic concern | Correlation coefficient | 1.000 | 0.279** |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 0.000 | |||
| n | 364 | 364 | ||
| Teacher performance | Correlation coefficient | 0.279** | 1.000 | |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 0.000 | |||
| n | 364 | 364 | ||
**Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). Source: Prepared by the author (2024)
Table 5 reveals a positive and significant correlation between empathetic concern and teacher performance, with a correlation coefficient of 0.279** (P < 0.01, two-tailed). This indicates a moderate to strong positive association between the two variables, suggesting that higher levels of empathetic concern are associated with better teacher performance. The statistical significance of the correlation at the 0.01 level underscores the robustness of this relationship, implying that the observed correlation is unlikely to have occurred by chance. These findings suggest that cultivating empathetic concern may be a valuable strategy for enhancing teacher effectiveness and improving educational outcomes. By emphasizing empathetic concern in teacher training and development programs, educators may be better equipped to support their students’ needs and improve their overall performance.
Table 6 displays the correlation between the dimension perspective talking and teacher performance. The data indicate a positive and significant relationship between these variables, with a correlation coefficient of 0.166** (P < 0.01). This suggests a moderate positive association between perspective talking and teacher performance among the individuals surveyed.
Table 6.
Correlation between the dimension perspective talking and teacher performance
| Dimension | Statistic | Measure | Perspective talking | Teacher performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rho de Spearman | Perspective talking | Correlation coefficient | 1.000 | 0.166** |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 0.000 | |||
| n | 364 | 364 | ||
| Teacher performance | Correlation coefficient | 0.166** | 1.000 | |
| Sig. (two-tailed) | 0.000 | |||
| n | 364 | 364 |
** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed). Source: Prepared by the author (2024)
The statistical significance of the correlation at the 0.01 level (two-tailed) emphasizes the reliability of this relationship, indicating that the observed correlation is highly unlikely to be due to chance. This implies that a higher degree of perspective talking is associated with better overall performance by teachers in their roles. Therefore, encouraging and fostering perspective talking skills among teachers may be beneficial for enhancing their effectiveness and success in educational settings.
Discussion
The findings reveal a positive relationship between empathetic communication and job performance. Previous research, such as,[15,16] supports this association by demonstrating that teachers’ empathetic abilities influence their teaching effectiveness, a factor valued by students in their educational journey. Additionally, studies suggest that communication, particularly when developed with empathy, is linked to teachers’ self-perceived performance.
Furthermore, a positive relationship between empathetic concern and job performance among teachers was also confirmed. These results align with various studies indicating that empathetic individuals exhibit less violence due to their sensitivity and understanding of emotions and the negative consequences of their behavior. Moreover, nonverbal, and verbal communication, along with empathy, are deemed essential and are associated with teaching performance from the students’ perspective.[37]
On another note, the positive relationship between perspective taking and job performance was corroborated, as it is widely agreed upon that putting oneself in another’s shoes mean emotionally connecting by considering the student’s perspective. Additionally,[4] found a relationship between social dominance and performance.
Limitation and recommendation
The study had some limitations. The sample was limited to students from private universities in Lima with a Business faculty, which may not be representative of all students or educational contexts. Additionally, the study relied on self-reported data, which may be subject to biases.
Recommendations for future research include
Expanding the sample to include students from diverse educational backgrounds and contexts.
Using multiple data collection methods, such as observations or interviews, to triangulate findings.
Investigating the causal relationship between empathetic communication and job performance.
Developing and testing interventions aimed at improving empathetic communication and teacher performance.
Conclusions
The educational process is complex, involving various stakeholders within the educational community, with teachers assuming the role of guiding it. Therefore, it is necessary to assess and evaluate their performance to enhance it. In this study, the evaluation by students is crucial, as the knowledge imparted and the way it is delivered determine their learning process. Thus, nonviolent communication is related to the performance of teaching practice. It is inferred that when teachers have low levels of empathetic communication, conflicts may arise where their insensitivity obstructs or limits the process. However, when teachers exhibit very high levels of empathetic communication, they may also encounter difficulties, as they could show favoritism towards students they perceive as more vulnerable or may alter pedagogical rules to favor those who move them emotionally. In other words, teaching performance is affected when teachers are either “too harsh” or “too lenient.”
The findings indicate a positive relationship between empathetic communication and the performance of university teachers. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen communication with pedagogical tact, as this ensures a better teaching-learning process. Likewise, university institutions should provide training to their teachers in the development of social skills, such as empathetic communication, with the aim of fostering assertive learning environments.
Finally, further research is encouraged in the Peruvian university academic context on teacher empathetic communication and its relationship with performance, reaffirming the positive relationship established in this study. Additionally, it is important to investigate the level of empathetic communication among university teachers, as when they exhibit a low level of pedagogical tact with students, the classroom climate can determine the success or failure of student learning. This situation may be exacerbated in the current context, where the tendency to interact is increasingly at a distance.
Author’s contribution
All authors Contributed significantly in study conception and design, data collection, analysis and interpretation of results, draft manuscript preparation. All authors reviewed the results and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
Funding Statement
Nil.
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