| Abstract: | This study was conducted to determine if empathic level of functioning as assessed by written measures is predictive of oral functioning. Forty participants, run in four groups with counterbalanced order, responded in writing and orally to stimulus statements. Correlations between oral and written scores were very high and statistically significant for the total sample and the high- and low-functioning subgroups. Only very small differences were found between written and oral group means. Thus, we concluded that written measures can yield a reliable estimate of empathic level of oral functioning, making it possible to obtain a quick, economical, and reliable estimate of level of functioning without the time-consuming and cumbersome process of taping. This finding has particular relevance for training-program evaluations and comparisons in which large numbers of people need to be tested. |
