Author: Elaine La Monica Rigolosi, Ed.D., J.D.

Empathy is a behavioral skill used to show another person you care. It is the foundation of all effective relationships and a skill you can assess in yourself, develop and expand with this useful instrument.

This 30-item, self-scoring instrument evaluates your level of empathy on five critical modes:  

• Nonverbal behavior
• Perceiving feelings and listening
• Responding verbally
• Respect of self and others
• Openness, honesty and flexibility

The instrument contains pairs of statements describing possible actions. You will be asked to choose (A or B) the statement that is most characteristic of your behavior.

Sample statements:

• I rearrange my busy work schedule to talk with someone who is upset
• I give genuine consolation, advice, assistance and support
• I make time to help others who are not my responsibility
• I concentrate on what another person is saying
• I respond to the needs of the whole person

This profile quickly indicates the repertoire of empathy skills you use frequently and where you need to expand those skills to be better able to:

• Put yourself in someone else’s shoes
• Show support
• Share honest feelings that may be helpful to someone else
• Anticipate needs and offer assistance before someone asks
• Encourage someone to express their feelings
• And more

24 pp