Pathways between Ability Emotional Intelligence and Subjective Well-Being: Bridging Links through Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies

Natalio Extremera,Nicolás Sánchez-Álvarez,Lourdes Rey

doi:10.3390/su12052111

Natalio Extremera, Nicolás Sánchez-Álvarez + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su12052111

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Mar 9, 2020
Citations: 29	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Universidad de Málaga

Abstract

Based on a primary prevention perspective, the main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between ability emotional intelligence, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and well-being indicators (e.g., psychological well-being and satisfaction with life), controlling for sociodemographic variables and personality traits in our analyses. Three hundred and seventy-eight college students (123 males; 252 females; 3 unreported) participated voluntarily in this study. We predicted that ability emotional intelligence would be significantly and positively correlated with well-being outcomes, and that cognitive emotion regulation strategies would mediate the associations between ability emotional intelligence and well-being, controlling for sociodemographic and personality traits. Structural equation modelling estimated by bootstrap method indicated that two adaptive cognitive coping strategies were found to act as partial mediators between ability emotional intelligence and well-being indicators. Our findings provide preliminary support for theoretical work linking ability emotional intelligence, cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and well-being outcomes, and contribute to the understanding of how ability emotional intelligence is related to subjective well-being via specific cognitive emotion regulation strategies in college students.

Highlights

University life is regarded as a key time of transition into adulthood
With respect to cognitive emotion regulation strategies, greater emotional intelligence (EI) was positively associated with focus on planning (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), positive reappraisal (r = 0.17, p < 0.001), putting into perspective (r = 0.11, p < 0.029), and rumination (r = 0.14, p < 0.005); and negatively associated with catastrophizing (r = -0.14, p < 0.005)
Psychological well-being was negatively associated with self-blame (r = -0.26, p < 0.001), catastrophizing (r = -0.42, p < 0.001), rumination (r = -0.14, p < 0.005), and other-blame (r = -0.26, p < 0.001); and positively associated with positive refocusing (r = 0.21, p < 0.001), focus on planning (r = 0.43, p < 0.001), positive reappraisal (r = 0.47, p < 0.001), and putting into perspective (r = 0.24, p < 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

University life is regarded as a key time of transition into adulthood. university offers students opportunities for personal growth and development, numerous studies have found that students experience high levels of stress due to financial affairs, academic work, time constraints, new relationships, and career choice difficulties, which might have an impact on students’ well-being [1]. According to the psychology of sustainability approach [2] and based on a primary prevention perspective [3], it is necessary to increase personal strengths, at the college stage, prior to entering workplace life, to provide valuable resources that lead to positive outcomes for sustainable development and optimal well-being in future workers. These personal resources might help individuals to better cope with continuous changes and adaptations in the professional workplace setting. One of the key personal resources to increase well-being and sustainable development in higher education is emotional intelligence

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