Emotional intelligence in the structure of a person’s intellectual and personal potential: trait or ability? (adaptation of the short version of the TEIQue-SF questionnaire)

Abstract

Background. One of the debated issues of modern psychology is the characteristics of the emotional sphere in the structure of a person’s intellectual and personal potential. Its most important component is emotional intelligence (EI), which can be studied from different methodological standpoints. It makes it urgent to develop appropriate diagnostic techniques. The objective: based on testing of the Russian-language version of the questionnaire “Trait Emotional Intelligent Questionnaire” (TEIQue-SF), the problem of understanding EI as an ability or personality trait, and the relationship of EI with uncertainty tolerance (UT) and emotional creativity (EC) is considered. Design. EI as a trait was measured using the approved TEI questionnaire (N= 482); as ability — using the EI questionnaire (N= 230); as attitude to uncertainty — using the new uncertainty tolerance questionnaire (N= 61); as emotional creativity — using the OEC questionnaire (N= 231). Research results. For the TEI questionnaire, a four-factor structure, similar to the original English version was confirmed. It included the following scales: “well-being”; “emotionality”; “sociality” and “self-control”. Their convergent validity with the scales of the EmIn questionnaire has been demonstrated. Relationship between tolerance to uncertainty and emotional creativity has been established, which makes it possible to talk about the positive role of emotional intelligence in personal and style self-regulation. Conclusions. The data obtained allow us to consider the psychometric characteristics of the Russian-language version of the TEI questionnaire satisfactory. The revealed positive relationship between the characteristics of EI according to the methods of TEI and EmIn, as well as links with EC, suggests the possibility of a broader interpretation of EI as a trait but also does not allow to deny its interpretation as an ability. Differences in methodological approaches regarding understanding the construct of EI do not prevent the possibility of measuring it as a variable of a person’s intellectual and personal potential interconnected with the attitude towards uncertainty and with the creative potential of a person.