Predicting Emotional Empathy on the Basis of Emotion Regulation and Self-Control in Teachers

The present research has been conducted as an effort to predict emotional empathy on the basis of emotion regulation and self-control in teachers. A descriptive-correlative method was used. The statistical population consisted of teachers in the city of Sanandaj in the year 2017, 425 of whom were selected by means of stratified random sampling and asked to complete Gross and John (2003) Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Self-control Questionnaire (Nikmanesh, 2007) and the Questionnaire Measure of Emotional Empathy (Mehrabian and Epstein, 1972). Pearson correlation and regression analysis tests were used for data analysis. Pearson correlation results pointed out a negative correlation between suppressing emotions and emotional empathy (P<0.05), and that being impulsive, fulfilling simple duties, seeking hazards and being physical in contrast to being mental have a negative correlation (P<0.01). Moreover, simultaneous regression analysis results showed that the variable of suppressing emotions and the variables of fulfilling simple duties, seeking hazards and being physical in contrast to being mental can be named as significant components of self-control (P<0.05). The findings of the study indicate that suppressing emotions and low self-control are factors that can inhibit emotional empathy. Therefore, taking training on emotional regulation and self-control can help enhance emotional empathy among teachers.