Empathy quotient among students in language communication and education programs

Background and Purpose: Empathy is a vital skill in communication and education professions, significantly shaping interpersonal relationships, understanding, and professional effectiveness. With its growing relevance in these fields, this study aimed to assess the empathy levels of students enrolled in language communication and education programs. It focused on four dimensions of empathy—cognitive, affective, social, and behavioural—and explored how these aspects are interrelated. The goal was to provide insights that could support the development of empathy-focused curricula and teaching strategies. Methodology: This study employed a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design to examine the levels and interrelationships among cognitive, affective, social, and behavioural dimensions of empathy among 147 undergraduate students from the University of Southern Mindanao, a state-run university in southern Philippines Academic Year 2024-2025. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling from communication- and people-cantered academic programs. These academic programs were purposefully chosen because they foster professional competencies that are inherently interpersonal and communication-oriented, making them ideal contexts for exploring the multidimensional nature of empathy. Data were collected using the validated Empathy Quotient (EQ) for adults and analysed using descriptive statistics and Spearman’s correlation to determine empathy levels and their interrelationships. Findings: The results revealed that students enrolled in academic programs characterized by a strong emphasis on interpersonal engagement, emotional sensitivity, and communication skills—such as Education, Development Communication, Public Administration, Political Science, and English Language—demonstrated moderate levels of empathy across all four measured dimensions: cognitive, affective, social, and behavioral. Significant positive correlations among these dimensions indicated their strong interconnectedness. The moderate to strong correlations among cognitive, affective, social, and behavioral dimensions of empathy suggest that these components are interdependent and collectively contribute to shaping an individual's overall empathetic response. Contributions: The study emphasizes the importance of embedding empathy training into communication and education curricula. By supporting a holistic approach to empathy development, it provides practical recommendations for educational policy and program design. These findings aim to prepare students to become empathetic professionals, contributing to their success in personal and professional settings, and strengthening their emotional and social competence. Keywords: Empathy quotient, interrelationship, communication programs, education programs.