Active Empathic Listening Skills and Interpersonal Communication Capability of Student Journalists in Public Elementary Schools

This study examined the relationship between active empathic listening skills and interpersonal communication capability among elementary student journalists in public elementary schools. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was used with 134 student journalists from Sto. Tomas District, Division of Davao del Norte, during the 2025-2026 academic year. Data were collected through adapted standardized survey questionnaires measuring active empathic listening skills in sensing, responding, and processing and interpersonal communication capability in self-disclosure, empathy, social relaxation, assertiveness, altercentrism, interaction management, expressiveness, supportiveness, immediacy, and environmental control. Descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression were used. Results showed that active empathic listening skills were very high overall (M = 4.37, SD = 0.51), with sensing as the highest domain (M = 4.41, SD = 0.49). Interpersonal communication capability was also very high overall (M = 4.37, SD = 0.55), with interaction management as the highest domain (M = 4.44, SD = 0.55). Active empathic listening skills had a high positive relationship with interpersonal communication capability (r = 0.78, R² = 0.61, p = 0.000). Regression analysis showed that sensing, responding, and processing were significant predictors, with processing as the strongest predictor (B = 0.230, Beta = 0.200, p = 0.000). The findings support the use of structured listening, interview, peer feedback, and reflective communication activities in campus journalism instruction.