Listening and Interpersonal Communication Skills As Predictors of Resilience in Occupational Therapy Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction This study investigated whether listening and communication skills are predictive of occupational therapy students’ resilience. Method 135 third- and fourth-year undergraduate occupational therapy students (74% response rate) completed the Active-Empathetic Listening Scale, Listening Styles Profile – Revised, Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, Resilience at University and Resilience Scale for Adults instruments. Linear regressions were completed with the Resilience at University and Resilience Scale for Adults subscales as the dependent variables and the Active-Empathetic Listening Scale, Listening Styles Profile – Revised and Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale subscales as the independent variables. Results Regression analysis identified significant predictors of students’ resilience. The Active-Empathetic Listening Scale: Sensing Listening accounted for 5% ( p = .009) and 4.3% ( p = .011) of the unique variance of Resilience at University: Find Your Calling and Living Authentically. Listening Styles Profile – Revised: Analytical Listening accounted for 4.4% ( p = .022) and 2.7% ( p = .038) of the unique variance of Resilience at University: Managing Stress and Maintaining Perspective. Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale: Self-Disclosure accounted for 6.7% ( p = .003), 3.6% ( p = .035) and 3.4% ( p = .047) of the unique variance of Resilience Scale for Adults: Social Resources, Resilience at University: Maintaining Perspective and Resilience Scale for Adults: Planned Future. Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale: Social Relaxation accounted for 8.5% ( p = .001) of the unique variance of Resilience Scale for Adults: Social Competence. Conclusion Components of listening and interpersonal communication were found to be significant predictors of resilience in occupational therapy students. Further investigation in this area of research is recommended.