Adaptation of the Active Empathic Listening Scale to Turkish Culture

Abstract

This study aimed to adapt the Active Empathic Listening Scale (AELS) to Turkish and test its validity and reliability to explore active-empathic listening skills in the Turkish sample. It sampled 847 (556 females and 291 males) respondents between the ages of 18 and 61. The data were collected using a personal information form, AELS, and the Empathy Quotient (EQ). The EFA yielded a three-factor structure explaining 64.98% of the total variance. The factors were named sensing, processing, and responding, as in the original version. The results of the CFA showed that the model had a perfect with the data (χ2\sd = 2.09 [χ2 = 83.93, sd = 40, p < .001], GFI = .97, AGFI = .94, CFI = .97, RMSEA = .05, and SRMR=.04). According to the results of the criterion validity analysis, there was a significant moderate positive correlation between the AELS and the EQ, and its sub-scales. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was .88 for the total AELS, .77 for the sensing factor, .72 for the processing factor, and .84 for the responding factor. The test-retest reliability was .60 for the total AELS, .40 for the sensing factor, .57 for the processing factor, and .50 for the responding factor. The adaptation of the Active Empathic Listening Scale (AELS) to Turkish culture has demonstrated that the scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool.