Branches Of Emotional Intelligence Research Articles

The development of ability emotional intelligence during adolescence

This study aimed to examine the development of ability emotional intelligence (EI) in the adolescent population with a Spanish performance-based instrument of EI: Botín Foundation's Emotional Intelligence Test for Adolescents (TIEFBA), which assesses the respondent's ability to solve emotional problems for each of the four emotional skills of the Mayer and Salovey EI model. With a large cross-sectional sample of Spanish adolescents (N = 5377; girls, 50.9 %) aged from 10 to 17 years (M = 13.57), the authors examined the progression of ability EI across the adolescent period, as well as the effects of gender. The results revealed that girls scored higher than boys on both the total EI and its four branches. Moreover, total EI increased throughout adolescence, but only in girls. Regarding EI branches, while using and understanding emotions increased with age in both girls and boys, managing emotions increased only in girls and perceiving emotions decreased in boys. These findings represent a significant advance that helps us define the evolution of emotional skills in adolescence, providing empirical support for using this performance measure of ability EI.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ВОСПРИЯТИЯ ПРИВЛЕКАТЕЛЬНОСТИ ЛИЦА ПРИ РАЗНОМ УРОВНЕ ЭМОЦИОНАЛЬНОГО ИНТЕЛЛЕКТА

Background. Many studies have been devoted to the relationship between the perception of facial expression and emotional intelligence (EI). As a rule, the study of this issue involved the tasks of expression recognition with stimuli expressing strong basic emotions. However, diX erences in the success of expression recognition in groups with diX erent levels of EI are not always signiY cantly pronounced. Z is may be connected to the fact, that the recognition of basic expressions is too easy for subjects with both high and low EI scores. In order to conduct a more effective study of this issue, it is necessary to complicate the task of facial expressions recognition. To this end, one of the conY gurational eX ects of E. Brunswick stating that neutral faces with diX erent conY gurations of facial features are perceived as emotionally colored, can be used. Under these conditions, a more adequate task is not to assess the success of expression recognition, but to assess the attractiveness of the face, which is closely related to the perceived facial expression. Z us, faces with positive expressions are more o[ en rated as attractive, and vice versa. It is assumed that the study of the perception of neutral faces will reveal the features of the relationship between the perception of facial expression and EI. Objective. Z e study is meant to explore the relationship between the perception of facial attractiveness and EI. It was assumed that subjects with diX erent levels of EI would evaluate the attractiveness of neutral faces diX erently. Sample. Z e experiment involved 49 people (20 men and 29 women, in the age range of 18–35 years). Methods. Images of faces were presented on a monitor screen. Eye movements were recorded during stimuli presentation. Z e level of EI was assessed based on the results of the “Test of emotional intelligence” (TEI) (Sergienko et al., 2019). We calculated indicators of TEI for all branches of EI (the abilities to recognize, understand, manage, and use emotions), as well as the total score of EI. An analysis of face attractiveness scores as well as eye movement parametres (duration and number of Y xations, duration of saccades) was carried out for two groups of subjects with high and low EI scores.

Emotionally Intelligent People Use More High-Engagement and Less Low-Engagement Processes to Regulate Others' Emotions.

Existing research has linked emotional intelligence (EI) with intrinsic emotion regulation (processes people use to regulate their own emotions). However, there has not yet been an empirical examination of whether EI abilities relate to extrinsic emotion regulation (processes people use to regulate other people’s emotions). This study (N = 178 undergraduates) examines whether ability EI (as measured by the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test) correlates with eight extrinsic regulation processes (as measured by the Regulation of Others’ Emotions Scale, including downward comparison, expressive suppression, humour, distraction, direct action, reappraisal, receptive listening and valuing). Total ability EI score is significantly positively correlated with three high-engagement processes (r = .24, .40, and .16 for reappraisal, receptive listening, and valuing) and negatively correlated with two low-engagement processes (r = −.30 and −.38 for downward comparison and expressive suppression). When all four EI branches predicted each regulation process in multiple regression, only emotion management significantly predicted downward comparison, receptive listening and valuing, and only emotion management and understanding predicted expressive suppression (no significant regression coefficients for reappraisal). We conclude that the drivers of EI/extrinsic regulation associations are engagement with the target’s emotion and the emotion management branch of EI.

Lower Avoidant Coping Mediates the Relationship of Emotional Intelligence With Well-Being and Ill-Being.

Emotional intelligence (EI) abilities relate to desirable outcomes such as better well-being, academic performance, and job performance. Previous research shows that coping strategies mediate the effects of ability EI on such outcomes. Across two cross-sectional studies, we show that coping strategies mediate the relationships of ability EI with both well-being (life satisfaction, psychological well-being) and ill-being (depression, anxiety, stress). Study 1 (N = 105 first-year university students, 78% female) assessed EI with the Situational Test of Emotion Understanding (STEU) and Situation Test of Emotion Management (STEM). Avoidant coping significantly mediated the relationship of both the STEU and STEM with depression, anxiety, stress, and psychological well-being. EI was associated with lower avoidant coping, higher well-being and lower ill-being. Study 2 (N = 115 first-year university students, 67% female) assessed EI with the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT). Avoidant coping mediated the relationship between EI and ill-being, but not the relationship between EI and well-being. These effects were significant for three of the four EI branches—emotion perception, understanding, and management. We discuss possible reasons why avoidant coping may be an active ingredient by which lower EI relates to lower well-being. We also discuss a possible application of our findings—that EI training programs might benefit from including content aimed at reducing avoidant coping.

Influence of emotional intelligence on the clinical ability of nursing interns: a structural equation model

BackgroundInternship is a critical period during which nursing students develop clinical skills and establish professional attitudes. Requirements for nursing interns are evolving with the development of medicine and the transformation of teaching models. The emotional intelligence (EI) of nursing students has an influence on their clinical performance. This study aimed to investigate the impact of EI on the clinical ability of nursing interns.MethodsA cross-sectional observational study was designed to include nursing students interning in a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China from April 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020 (N = 310). Chinese versions of the EI scale (EIS) and holistic clinical assessment tool (HCAT) were used to measure the EI and clinical ability of interns, respectively. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was utilized to determine the correlation between EI and clinical ability. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to further explore the influence of EI on clinical ability, and the structural equation model (SEM) was used for multivariate path analysis.ResultsThe mean EI and clinical ability scores of interns were 125.17 ± 14.98 and 97.91 ± 19.55, respectively, indicating an upper-moderate level in both aspects. EI scores were correlated positively with clinical ability ones (R = 0.534, p < 0.05). Multivariate path analysis showed that “managing emotions” and “facilitating thought” of EI branches have direct effects on clinical ability. Furthermore, the type of school, family financial state and the knowledge of EI indirectly influence clinical ability through their impact on “managing emotions” and “facilitating thought”.ConclusionsEI is essential to enhancing the clinical ability of nursing students. EI training should focus on facilitating thought and managing emotions. It is also necessary for educators to consider the context of nursing students and the characteristics of schools.

A proposal for emotional intelligence development through dance movement therapy

Emotional Intelligence (EI) as a predictor of success has received a lot of attention since research shows that EI can be taught at any age. Traditionally emotional education has focussed on cognitive skills-based interventions. By connecting the principles of dance movement therapy (DMT), EI development, Emotional Regulation (ER) and the benefits of movement, a bridge is built permitting the proposal of a DMT EI Educational Model. Laban Bartenieff Movement Analysis (LBMA) together with the relationship between motor patterns and emotions is a core part of this proposal. A reflective process based on previous experiences of IE development in academic settings by one of the authors has enriched the model. It is organised into four modules; each module is associated with an EI branch, a social-emotional skill, a DMT element, an exploration quality, an aimed outcome and examples. Some suggestions about the applicability in different contexts and populations have also been incorporated.

Using Individual Assessments as a Tool for Formative Feedback on Emotional Intelligence Training Programs in Healthcare Learners.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a skillset that influences and impacts an individual's ability to create, foster, and maintain strong relationships. In healthcare settings optimal patient centered care exists when teamwork, critical thinking, selfless service, integrity, and emotional intelligence are effectively practiced. While various methods exist to teach EI in the preprofessional and professional settings, the assessment of the efficacy of these types of training remains elusive. We propose a novel use of EI assessments to determine the effectiveness of EI programs and suggest that the information obtained can help shape and improve future EI education. Volunteer participants involved in the 2020-2021 Feagin Leadership Program (FLP) at Duke University were recruited for this study. FLP is a one year program that aims to train healthcare leadership skills, with a special emphasis on EI. It is comprised of various stages of healthcare learners with a desire to improve their healthcare leadership skills. All participants took both an EI self-assessment (SSEIT) and EI ability assessment (MSCEIT) both before and after a dedicated 5-hour EI educational session. Individuals must have completed both a pre- and post-test for at least one assessment to be included in the study. Apart from standard descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon sign rank tests were utilized to determine the effectiveness of the educational session by comparing pre- and post-tests within each assessment. A Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to compare the results of the SSEIT and MSCEIT. A total of 32 FLP scholars initially participated in which 18 completed all assessments. Average age was 29 years old and consisted of medical students (n = 16), residents (n = 7), fellows (n = 7), advanced practice provider (n = 1) and a researcher (n = 1). Group analysis of the SSEIT pre and post scores were 131 (±13, range 98-149) and 136(± 13, 106-105), respectively which were statistically significant. Pre and post MSCEIT scores were 102 (±20, range 32-141) and 103 (±12, range 80-121), which were not significant. The EI branches with the highest score on each test was Managing Own Emotions and Understanding Emotions for the SSEIT and MSCEIT respectively while Perceiving Emotions was the lowest for both assessments. Comparison of the SSEIT and MSCEIT demonstrated a moderate correlation that was statistically significant. In our study participants felt their EI improved following the EI educational session, however this did not appear translate into their actual ability. This could be a function of self-report bias or a limitation of the EI assessments. More studies in this space are needed to make this determination. Additionally, the strengths of this specific program were within the strategic use of emotions therefore in the future more attention should be placed on experiential use of emotions, specifically perceiving emotions. As EI education and training becomes more prevalent it is important to not only accurately assess an individual's EI ability but also the effectiveness of the education being presented. We propose that EI assessments can be utilized as a tool to measure the effectiveness of EI education and receive formative programmatic feedback.

The role of emotional intelligence in coping with difficult life situations

The article is aimed at examining the role of emotional intelligence (EI) in the co-operative behaviour of a person, analysing and presenting foreign and Russian research in this area. The results of empirical research are given. The sample consisted of 243 people aged 18 to 67 years (61 men and 182 women, the average age – 36.1 years), of which 107 participants noted that they are middle and senior managers, 136 respondents are employees. The study used the EIT methodology («Emotional Intelligence Test») and the questionnaire CISS (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations). Correlation analysis revealed the following correlations: positive – between the common EI, domains and branches of EI and problem-oriented copying, and negative – between the experienced domain and common EI with emotionally oriented coping. According to regression analysis, the cumulative effect of the four branches of EI is more pronounced when problem-oriented coping is chosen, and the ability to understand and analyse emotions makes the greatest contribution. The management team has demonstrated the ability to influence the emotions of others and to resort more often to problem-based coping, while the non-management team better recognises emotions in the surrounding space.

Emotional Intelligence Relates to Emotions, Emotion Dynamics, and Emotion Complexity

Abstract. Emotional intelligence (EI) should relate to people’s emotional experiences. We meta-analytically summarize associations of felt affect with ability EI branches (perception, facilitation, understanding, and management) and total scores ( k = 7–14; N = 1,584–2,813). We then use experience sampling ( N = 122 undergraduates over 5 days, 24 beeps) to test whether EI predicts emotion dynamics and complexity. Meta-analyses show that EI correlates significantly with lower negative affect (NA; ρ = −.21) but not higher positive affect (PA; ρ = .05). PA (but not NA) shows a significantly stronger relationship with emotion management (ρ = .23) versus other EI branches (ρ = −.01 to .07). In the experience sampling study, only management significantly related to higher PA, whereas lower NA was significantly related to total EI, perception, facilitation, and management. After controlling for mean affect: (a) only understanding significantly predicted NA dynamics whereas only management and facilitation significantly predicted PA dynamics; (b) management and facilitation predicted lower PA differentiation (EI was unrelated to NA differentiation); and (c) perception and facilitation predicted greater bipolarity. Results show that EI predicts affect, emotion dynamics, and emotion complexity. We discuss the importance of distinguishing between different branches of ability EI.

Accounting Offshoring: The role of Emotional Intelligence

Research Question: The primary purposes of this paper are to compare the emotional intelligence levels of Americans and Indians and explore the potential impacts of these differences in the offshoring relationships. Motivation: The continued growth of the Indian economy and its legions of inexpensive English-speaking graduates has made India a global leader in business process offshoring. U.S. companies, including accounting firms, routinely offshore a variety of their business functions to India. However, the effective functioning of these offshoring relationships has been offset by perceptions of the Indian providers’ poor communication and ineffective management training (Downey, 2018; Jain, 2015; Mayur, James, and Swamynathan, 2015). We believe that a culture-influenced behavioral factor known as Emotional Intelligence (EI) has resulted in less than the optimal performance outcome for the U.S. public accounting firms in these offshoring relationships. Data: Using MSCEIT EI inventory, we collect data from 197 master’s students enrolled in accounting courses in India and the U.S. on four branches of EI. Findings: Our results indicate that the Indian students have statistically lower levels of EI than the U.S. students. We discuss the implications for public accounting firms that offshore to India and advocate for the inclusion of the EI related coursework in Indian master’s programs and firm training. Contribution: Using a well-established inventory of EI, our study provides a deeper understanding of the cultural EI differences between Americans and Indians, and the possible implications for the offshoring environment.

A Comparison of the Ability Emotional Intelligence of Head Teachers With School Teachers in Other Positions.

Head teachers are exposed to a highly emotional and stressful job, and they need a sufficient combination of professional competencies in order to deal with daily challenges in schools. Recent studies have shown the importance of developing emotional competencies such as emotional intelligence (EI) in teachers in order to improve their professional development and to ensure the adequate functioning of the school. However, rather less is known about the ability EI of head teachers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability EI of public school head teachers and compare this ability with those working in other positions within the school. For these purposes, 393 participants (35 head teachers, 39 middle leaders, 236 tutors, and 86 teachers) aged between 24 and 62 years (M = 40.26; SD = 9.27) completed the mayer-salovey-caruso emotional intelligence test (MSCEIT). The results revealed a significantly higher total EI for head teachers than teachers, along with higher scores in the understanding branch of the MSCEIT for the head teachers compared with workers in other positions. In addition, on this EI branch, tutors also achieved higher scores than the teachers. We also evaluated the alternative hypothesis that years of teaching experience could explain the relationship between work position and the EI scores, and found no evidence in support of this possibility. Limitations and future lines of research are discussed.

The role of emotional intelligence and negative affect as protective and risk factors of aggressive behavior: A moderated mediation model.

The General Aggression Model (GAM) offers an integrative explanation of the aggressive behavior based on three stages: 1) inputs: personal and situational factors; 2) routes or individual internal states: affect, cognition, and arousal; and 3) outcomes: decision processes with a (non) aggressive result. Researchers are interested in looking for protective factors within the GAM to diminish aggression. Previous studies have found two relevant variables acting independently as risk and protective factors: emotional intelligence (EI) and negative affect (NA). The aim of the present study is to analyze a moderated mediation model including these variables as an explanation of aggressive behavior and integrate it within the GAM. Four hundred and six participants were assessed on EI, NA, and aggression. The moderated mediation analysis showed a significant negative indirect effect of the perceiving EI branch on total aggression mediated through NA levels, which, in turn, was moderated by the managing EI branch. Moreover, this relationship was also observed for the physical, anger, and hostility sub-scales of aggression. Our study demonstrates the importance of having a high ability to perceive emotions as a protective factor in the first stage of the GAM. These individuals will present lower NA in the second stage of the model, resulting in a reduction in aggression. Moreover, having a high ability to perceive emotions is particularly relevant for individuals that are less able to manage emotions, given that those participants with higher scores on the managing EI branch can reduce their aggressive behavior by mitigating the effect of NA on aggression in the third stage of the GAM.

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF HR-MANAGEMENT STUDENTS

Introduction:Emotional intelligence is one of the key abilities of the modern managers and HR managers. Efficiency of the employees and the employer's brand depend on the level of HR‘s emotional intelligence. In this study we tried to assess the level of emotional intelligence among students studying Human Resources Management at HSE in Nizhny Novgorod. The study involved 78 students: 56 people (71.79% of the total sample) were undergraduate students and 22 people (28.21% of the total sample) were master level students.Materials and methods:To measure the level of emotional intelligence we used the Test of emotional intelligence, developed by Professor E.A.Sergienko and E. A. Hlevnaya on the basis of the theoretical model of emotional intelligence as the ability of Mayer, J.D., Salovey, P. and Caruso, D.R.Results:According to the results, the average values of general emotional intelligence and the main scales of emotional intelligence are at the level of competence. The highest rate is observed on the scale of the Emotion Management (M=102.46). Lower indicators characterize the scale of the Use of emotions (M=95,61). 64.10% of the respondents are characterized by an average level of the development of the ability to understand and rule emotions; 56.41% of students have a high level of development of the ability to perceive, identify their emotions and emotions of the others; 38.46% have a low level of development of the ability to use emotions to solve problems. The growth of indicators of emotional intelligence from Bachelor to Master Degree in all branches of emotional intelligence is noted.Discussion and Conclusions:This article is largely a statement of the problem of emotional intelligent research and development of - HR-management students in terms of their professional training, development the professional competencies.

The relationship between aggression and ability emotional intelligence: The role of negative affect

This study aimed to contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between aggressive behaviour and individual levels of ability emotional intelligence (EI). Three hundred and ninety-five participants took part in this study. Participants were assessed on ability EI, negative affect (NA), and aggression by the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and the Buss–Perry Aggression questionnaires, respectively. The results revealed a negative relationship between aggression and ability EI, but this relationship depended on multiple factors: the type of EI branches and aggression dimensions, the influence of NA, and gender. Emotional management ability showed a direct relationship with aggression, while emotional perception ability presented an indirect relationship with aggression through the effect of NA. These EI abilities were related to different aggression dimensions, highlighting the direct relationship with physical aggression. Moreover, gender differences showed that women possess greater EI abilities, higher levels of NA, less aggressive behaviour, and a lower relationship between NA and aggression compared with men. This research offers a better understanding of the psychological processes explaining aggression. The inclusion of our findings in the design of prevention and treatment programs could be of great help in the control of aggressive behaviour.

Emotional Perception and Distortion Correlates With Rorschach Cognitive and Interpersonal Variables

Abstract. Although emotional intelligence is frequently measured with performance tasks, they are often correlated with self-report measures of personality. The present research compared the scores of two performance tests: the Rorschach Inkblot Method for personality (scored using R-PAS), and the Computerized Test of Primary Emotions Perception for emotional perception and understanding, branches of emotional intelligence. Participants were 93 Brazilian people, including undergraduates and psychiatric outpatients. Significant correlations were found, ranging from .20 to .37. The results indicate that the ability to perceive emotional expressions in people’s faces is related to empathy and interest in human interaction, attention to details, integrative thinking, and complex cognitive processing. Distortion in emotional perception, that is perceiving emotions that were not present, correlated with thought and perception disturbances.

Age and gender differences in ability emotional intelligence in adults: A cross-sectional study.

The goal of the current investigation was to analyze ability emotional intelligence (EI) in a large cross-sectional sample of Spanish adults (N = 12,198; males, 56.56%) aged from 17 to 76 years (M = 37.71, SD = 12.66). Using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT), which measures ability EI according to the 4 branches of the Mayer and Salovey EI model. The authors examined effects of gender on ability EI, as well as the linear and quadratic effects of age. Results suggest that gender affects the total ability EI score as well as scores on the 4 EI branches. Ability EI was greater in women than men. Ability EI varied with age according to an inverted-U curve: Younger and older adults scored lower on ability EI than middle-aged adults, except for the branch of understanding emotions. These findings strongly support the idea that both gender and age significantly influence ability EI during aging. (PsycINFO Database Record

The Relationships between Emotional Intelligence and Perceptions of Faculty Incivility in Higher Education. Do Men and Women Differ?

Awareness of the concepts of incivility and emotional intelligence (EI) and of their relevance to higher education has grown in recent years. Incivility has been widely linked to deviant behaviours that are known to negatively impact upon students, while EI has been linked, among other things, to pro-social behaviours. However, the links between EI and faculty incivility (FI), and in particular uncivil behaviours perpetrated by faculty towards students in academic settings, remain unmapped. Similarly, the role of gender with respect to such links have yet to be examined. Thus, the current study examined the relationships between EI and perceived FI towards students as a function of gender. The research was conducted among 210 undergraduate students from one major college in Israel. High scores in the SEA EI branch were correlated with reduced FI perceptions among female students but not among male students. However, the links between general EI scores and perceived FI toward students did not indicate any gender effect.

Emotional intelligence in non-psychotic first-degree relatives of people with schizophrenia

Subtle social cognitive deficits in unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients have received increasing attention over the last few years, supporting their potential endophenotypic role for this disorder. The current study assessed non-psychotic first-degree relatives' performance on a multidimensional measure of emotional intelligence (EI): the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test 2.0 (MSCEIT). Endorsed by the National Institute of Mental Health, the MSCEIT is a valid and reliable instrument for detecting emotion-processing deficits among schizophrenia patients and people high in schizotypy. Method: Thirty-seven first-degree relatives, 37 schizophrenia outpatients and 37 healthy controls completed the MSCEIT, which comprises eight subscales aimed to assess the four branches of EI: Identifying, Facilitating, Understanding and Managing Emotions. Potential associations with cognitive function and schizotypy levels, measured with the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire–Brief, were further evaluated. Results: Relatives had significantly lower MSCEIT total scores than controls and also significantly lower scores on the Identifying emotions branch. Nevertheless, schizophrenia patients still had the poorest global EI performance. The strongest positive correlations were found in relatives and controls with measures of executive function, processing speed and general intelligence. A higher level of schizotypy correlated significantly with lower MSCEIT scores among controls, but not among relatives. Conclusions: Contrary to expectations in the general population, the current study observed subtle EI impairment in non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. These findings support the hypothesis that these EI deficiencies may be potential endophenotypes located between the clinical phenotype and the genetic predisposition for schizophrenia.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence During an Emotionally Difficult Decision-Making Task

Emotional intelligence (EI) can be defined as the ability to understand, perceive, and manage emotions. However, there is little research investigating how EI influences decision-making during emotionally difficult situations. We hypothesized that higher EI would correlate with greater utilization of socially relevant facial cues during emotional decision-making. Sixty-two 18–45 year olds completed a decision-making task simulating an airport security screening during a credible terrorist threat. Participants viewed a series of facial photographs of potential passengers (white men and women) and selected which passengers to detain for further interrogation. The face photographs were previously rated for a set of character traits (e.g., aggression) by independent judges. Participants completed measures of trait (self-perceived) and ability (performance-based) EI and cognitive intelligence (IQ). With higher ability EI, participants were more likely to detain only individuals judged to be particularly high in negative traits (e.g., “aggression”) and especially low in positive traits (e.g., “trustworthy”), suggesting greater acuity in decision choices. These associations were driven primarily by the facilitating and understanding branches of EI (i.e., the ability to generate and use emotion to facilitate decision making, and the ability to understand factors that generate and modify emotions). No association between trait EI or IQ and detainment decisions was found. Findings suggest that individuals with higher ability EI were more likely to utilize the available but limited social information (i.e., facial features) when completing an emotional decision-making task than those with lower EI. These findings have implications for real-life situations involving similarly difficult emotional decision-making processes.

Exploring emotional intelligence in a Caribbean medical school.

To explore the emotional intelligence (EI) in medical students in a Caribbean medical school and investigate its association with gender, age, year of study and ethnicity. A cross-sectional design using convenient sampling of 304 years two to five undergraduate medical students at the School of Medicine, the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine campus, was conducted. The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT-V2.0) was administered to test four branches of EI: perceiving emotions, facilitating thought, understanding emotions and managing emotions. Data were analysed using SPSS version 19. T-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and r (product moment correlation) were calculated to establish the effects of selected variables (gender, age, year of study and ethnicity) on total and sub-scales EI scores and tested against 0.05 and 0.01 significance levels. The total mean score for EI fell within the average according to MSCEIT standards. Gender analysis showed significantly higher scores for males and for younger age groups (< 25 years). Year of study and ethnicity did not yield any significant effect. These findings of higher EI scores in males and younger students are unusual, given the well-publicized stereotype of the Caribbean male and the perception that advancing age brings maturity and emotional stability. It would be valuable to widen this study by including other UWI campuses and offshore medical schools in the Caribbean. This preliminary study examined a sample of medical students from a well-established Caribbean medical school. Since EI is considered to be important in the assessment and training of medical undergraduates, consideration should be given to introducing interventions aimed at increasing EI.