Communication Skills and Self-Compassion Levels of Teacher Candidates


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Mete Otlu B., Ekinci Vural D., Fırat N.

JOURNAL OF TURKISH STUDIES, vol.11, no.09, pp.635-658, 2016 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 11 Issue: 09
  • Publication Date: 2016
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF TURKISH STUDIES
  • Journal Indexes: TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
  • Page Numbers: pp.635-658
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the communication skills and self-compassion levels of teacher candidates and to make suggestions in view of the obtained data. Accordingly, it was aimed to examine the subject matter deeply by using together the qualitative and quantitative methods. The population of the research is composed of the teacher candidates studying at Buca Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey. The sampling of the quantitative dimension of the research is composed of 498 teacher candidates who are studying at senior classes of 14 different under-graduate programs of Faculty of Education, Dokuz Eylül University and who have been chosen through stratified sampling. The study group of the qualitative dimension of the research is composed of a total of 42 students (n=23 female, n=21 male). According to the findings obtained at the end of the study, the communication skills of teacher candidates were observed to differ in accordance with their departments; on the other hand, both their communication skills and their self-compassion levels were observed to differ according to their perceived personality types. Accordingly, the self compassion scale’ score averages of those perceiving themselves to be timid and assertive are observed to be higher than those who perceive themselves as aggressive. Depending on this finding, it is understood that the ones who have the lowest communication skills level are those teacher candidates perceiving themselves to be aggressive. Qualitative results support quantitative results. Besides, in the consequence of the study, it was observed that there is a positive correlation between “self-kindness”, “common humanity” and “mindfulness” dimensions of “self-compassion” scale and all dimensions of communication skills; and there is a negative correlation between “self-judgment”, “isolation” and “over-identification” dimensions of “selfcompassion scale” and all dimensions of communication skills.