Background: Desirable interpersonal interactions require literacy competence and social and emotional competencies, which are closely related to empathy. This study aimed to investigate whether social and emotional competencies and empathy predict literacy competence in Primary Education, assessing students' socio-educational characteristics.
Method: The three variables were analysed in a sample consisting of 516 Primary Education children from six schools in Spain.
Results: competence was higher in girls and students from the ethnic-cultural majority. Empathy and social and emotional competencies were related to literacy competence.
Conclusions: Literacy competence could be improved by targeting social and emotional development. New intervention programs could be based on the results.