The Italian version of the Wong-Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-I): A second-order factor analysis

Abstract

The Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) is a 16-item self-report measure of emotional intelligence, based on the revised model by Mayer and Salovey. The scale measures four dimensions: Self-Emotional Appraisal, Others' Emotion Appraisal, Use Of Emotion, Regulation Of Emotions, loading onto a higher-order emotional intelligence factor. The WLEIS has been translated and validated in several cultural contexts, but to date there is no Italian translation, and no studies investigated its factor structure in the Italian community. This study aimed at translating the WLEIS in Italian, analysing its psychometric properties in Italian adults from the community, and testing the fit between the data and the original model by Wong and Law. We also tested correlations between WLEIS and measures of the Big Five personality factors and attachment. We found that the scale was internally consistent, and the second-order factor solution fit the data well. We also found significant positive correlations with agreeableness, extraversion, and perception of the self and the others, and negative correlation with neuroticism. These results represent a preliminary attempt to study the application of the WLEIS in Italian community settings, with implications for assessment and intervention to enhance the subjective and psychological well-being of individuals.