Trait emotional intelligence, trauma and personality organization: Analysis of urban clinical patients

Abstract

ObjectiveTrait emotional intelligence (TEI) has recently emerged in research related to personality psychopathology. Yet, no research to date has considered the role of trauma in the TEI and personality organization relation. This article explored the three-way interaction between childhood and adult trauma, and TEI in predicting personality organization scores in a clinical sample. MethodThis study used self-report data from 160 adult patients of a mental health clinic in an urban, low-income setting. ResultsTEI was negatively related to the three dimensions of personality organization. For two of the three dimensions, the negative relations were stronger in magnitude among patients with high childhood and adult trauma experiences in comparison to low trauma patients. ConclusionsThis study yields compelling findings highlighting the potential role of TEI in the prevention and treatment of symptoms of personality disorders, specifically borderline personality disorder, among patients with high incidences of lifetime trauma. We discuss the implications of these findings for personality psychology, especially, the utility of integrating TEI interventions into psychological treatments.