Listening competencies in school teachers following a 10-week empathy-compassion dyadic training: A pilot study

Teaching is an inherently relational profession with high social-emotional demands, yet most interventions focus primarily on intrapersonal skills. This non-randomized controlled pilot study examined a 10-week Empathy–Compassion dyadic intervention aimed at enhancing teachers' listening competencies ( n = 138 intervention; n = 94 control). The program combined daily 13-min partner-based dialogues with weekly coaching, emphasizing empathic listening in the first five weeks and compassionate listening in the second. Listening was assessed at trait and state levels through questionnaires and weekly recall assessments, alongside reports of affective experiences after each session. Results indicated increases in listening attitudes and attenuated declines in listening skills. Within the intervention group, state-level listening showed a gradual upward trend, and affective experiences varied by phase: empathic listening was associated with stronger resonance with partners' experiences, whereas compassionate listening was linked to more regulated engagement. These findings suggest that structured dyadic practice may help strengthen teachers’ relational competencies and foster compassionate engagement. • This study examines a 10-week Empathy–Compassion training among teachers. • Increases in self-reported trait-level listening were observed. • State-level listening increased over time in the intervention group. • Empathic listening was associated with greater affective resonance. • Compassionate listening was associated with more regulated engagement.