일부 치위생 전공 대학생의 의사소통능력과 공감능력이 대인관계능력에 미치는 영향 = RESEARCH ARTICLES : Impact of Communication Competence and Empathy Abilities on Interpersonal Relationship Abilities among Dental Hygiene Students

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the communication competence and empathy abilities of dental hygiene students on their interpersonal relationship abilities. The subjects in this study were 578 students who majored in dental hygiene at five randomly selected colleges. Out of the colleges, three were located in North Chungcheong province, and one was located in the city of Daejeon. The other one was located in South Gyeongsang province. Data were gathered using structured questionnaires from April 1 to May 7, 2013. The major findings of the study were as follows: 1. The respondents got a mean of 3.23±0.49, 85.80±10.12 and 83.27±8.37 in interpersonal relationship abilities,communication competence and empathy abilities respectively. 2. As for communication competence, empathy abilities and interpersonal relationship abilities by general characteristics, there were statistically significant differences according to age, academic year, clinical practice experience and satisfaction with major. 3. The relationship of communication competence and empathy abilities to interpersonal relationship abilities was analyzed, and interpersonal relationship abilities were found to have a strong significant positive correlation to communication competence, empathy abilities and the subfactors of the two. 4. As a result of analyzing which variables affected interpersonal relationship abilities,it`s found that interpersonal relationship abilities were under the influence of age, clinical practice experience, communication competence,empathy abilities. These variables made a 57.2% prediction of interpersonal relationship abilities. The above-mentioned findings suggest that communication competence and empathy abilities exerted an influence on interpersonal relationship abilities. Therefore curriculums and educational programs should be developed in consideration of these variables to ensure the stable college lives and successful relationship building of dental hygiene students who are on the way to adulthood and will serve as health care personnels in the future.