Measures Of Trait Emotional Intelligence Research Articles

Assessing the temporal stability of a measure of trait emotional intelligence: Systematic review and empirical analysis

Determining the temporal stability of a construct is crucial to establishing its validity and utility in real-world scenarios. To-date, few studies have investigated the test-retest reliability of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI), particularly over extended periods of time. The present study presents relevant data from the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue) over variable intervals, ranging from 30 days (one month) to 1444 days (≈ four years). Results provide support for trait EI theory, demonstrating strong temporal stability at all levels of the construct (global, factor, and facet). Future research may focus on extending the test-retest intervals at both ends (i.e., below one month and over four years) as well as on comparisons between different trait EI measures.

'With a Little Help from My Friends': Emotional Intelligence, Social Support, and Distress during the COVID-19 Outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a global existential social and health challenge, with individuals suffering mentally and psychologically. College and university students are young adults, typically away from their natural support systems; with pandemic-imposed measures such as isolation, they may have been at higher risk of experiencing negative psychological outcomes. The study tested a model in which social support mediated the association between emotional intelligence (EI) and a latent factor representing general mental distress at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in Poland. One hundred and fifty-nine young adults filled in measures of trait EI, psychological and instrumental social support, three distress measures (depression, anxiety, and stress), and demographics. The results supported a model in which psychological social support (but not instrumental social support) mediated the association between trait EI and a factor representing all three distress measures. The results shed light on how individual and social resources work together to help maintain psychological integrity in times of crisis. They add to recent results on the differential effects of psychological-emotional and instrumental social support on distress and well-being.

Age, Sex, Education, Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence, and Management Level: A Study from Great Britain

Do non-, first-line, middle and senior managers differ in their cognitive ability and emotional intelligence? In this study we interested in the demographic and ability differences of people at different management levels. Over 6000 adults completed a multidimensional intelligence test (IQ) with five subscales and a measure of Trait Emotional Intelligence (EQ) with 15 subscales. First, we examined sex, age, educational and management level correlates of both EQ and IQ. Whilst there were many significant results, effect sizes were small. The focus of the paper was the regression using management level as the criterion variable and demography, EQ and, IQ as the predictor variables at facet and domain levels. Age and sex, particularly the former, accounted for nearly 30% of the variance, but both EQ and IQ added incremental variance. Facet level variance showed that specifically IQ number speed, and EQ sociability and emotionality (negatively) related to managerial level. Implications for general management and limitations are acknowledged.

Trait Emotional Intelligence and School Burnout Discriminate Between High and Low Alexithymic Profiles: A Study With Female Adolescents.

Alexithymic traits, which entail finding it difficult to recognize and describe one’s own emotions, are linked with poor trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and difficulties in identifying and managing stressors. There is evidence that alexithymia may have detrimental consequences for wellbeing and health, beginning in adolescence. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the prevalence and incidence of alexithymia in teenage girls, testing the statistical power of TEI and student burnout to discriminate between high- and low-alexithymic subjects. A sample of 884 female high school students (mean age 16.2 years, age range 14–19) attending three Italian academic-track high schools (social sciences and humanities curriculum) completed self-report measures of alexithymia, school burnout, and TEI. Main descriptive statistics and correlational analysis preceded the discriminant analysis. The mean alexithymia scores suggest a high prevalence of alexithymia in female adolescents; as expected, this trait was negatively correlated with TEI and positively associated with school burnout. Participants with high vs. low alexithymia profiles were discriminated by a combination of TEI and burnout scores. High scores for the emotionality and self-control dimensions of TEI were strongly associated with membership of the low alexithymia group; high scores for the emotional exhaustion dimension of school burnout were indicative of membership of the high alexithymia group. These findings suggest crucial focuses for educational intervention: efforts to reduce the risk of emotional exhaustion and school burnout should especially concentrate on enhancing emotional awareness and self-control skills, both strongly associated with low levels of alexithymia.

QEPro: An ability measure of emotional intelligence for managers in a French cultural environment

Managers’ interest in the concept of emotional intelligence (EI) has grown steadily due to an accumulation of published articles and books touting EI’s benefits. For over thirty years, many researchers have used or designed tools for measuring EI, most of which raise important psychometric, cultural and contextual issues. The aim of this article is to address some of the main limitations observed in previous studies of EI. By developing and validating QEPro we propose a new performance-based measure of EI based on a modified version of Mayer and Salovey’s (1997) four-branch model. QEPro is an ability EI measure specifically dedicated to managers and business executives in a French cultural environment (N = 1035 managers and executives). In order to increase both the ecological and the face validity of the test for the target population we used the Situational Judgment Tests framework and a theory-based item development and scoring approach. For all items, correct and incorrect response options were developed using established theories from the emotion and management fields. Our study showed that QEPro has good psychometric qualities such as high measurement precision and internal consistency, an appropriate level of difficulty and a clear factorial structure. The tool also correlates in meaningful and theoretically congruent ways with general intelligence, Trait EI measures, the Big Five factors of personality, and the Affect measures used in this study. For all these reasons, QEPro is a promising tool for studying the role of EI competencies in managerial outcomes.

Working memory, executive functions, and emotional intelligence in second language writing

The current study employed an audiovisual blended-emotion stimulus to explore whether particular aspects of working memory (WM) and trait emotional intelligence (TEI) are significant determinants of linguistic complexity, accuracy, and fluency in second language (L2) writing. Fifty-nine L2 learners of Spanish completed a visuospatial WM task, four executive functioning tasks assessing inhibition, shifting, and updating abilities, a self-reported measure of TEI, and a writing task based on an animated short film that required participants to describe the plot of the film and express how they felt about it. Classical and Bayesian statistical methods were used to analyse the data. Updating ability proved to be the best variable to predict both subordination density and linguistic accuracy in L2 writing. Individual differences in controlled search and retrieval processes seem to account for these results. On the other hand, TEI was not linked to any of the L2 writing performance measures but did correlate negatively with updating ability. Furthermore, a trade-off was observed between fluency and lexical complexity, suggesting that paying attention to lexical choices to convey (emotional) meaning might slow down production speed.

Trait emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships: Results from a 15-year longitudinal study

Although it is widely held that emotional intelligence (EI) contributes to more satisfying interpersonal relationships, the question has been investigated almost exclusively using cross-sectional designs. In fact, the use of longitudinal designs is rare in the EI area. While prior research has found that better perception, understanding, and managing of emotions contributes to more satisfying interpersonal relationships, little is really known about the direct role played by EI. The present study examined the impact of trait EI (TEI) on relationship satisfaction over a 15-year period. The sample consisted of 314 adults (110 men and 204 women) who completed measures of TEI at two time points: as first-year undergraduate students and then approximately 15 years later in middle adulthood. TEI was found to have high within person stability over 15 years, consistent with the conceptualization that the construct encompasses various dispositions from the personality domain. TEI was also found to be a moderate predictor of relationship satisfaction at Time 2, supporting the view that TEI contributes to the development of satisfying interpersonal relationships. The link between TEI and relationship satisfaction also has important implications for understanding the successful transition to adulthood.

Do Trait Emotional Intelligence and Dispositional Mindfulness Have a Complementary Effect on the Children's and Adolescents' Emotional States?

Mindfulness is both a non-judgmental and present-centered awareness, which has been applied to reduce negative emotions. On the other hand, Trait Emotional Intelligence (TEI) is the way of how good people perceive their emotional intelligence abilities (perceiving, expressing, understanding, and regulating emotions), which are involved in people’s social functioning. This empirical study was designed to analyze whether dispositional mindfulness (DM) and TEI have a potential combined role for children and adolescent’s emotional states. In a sample of primary school students (N = 318), age ranged from 8 to 16 years old (M = 11.25, SD = 2.20), participants filled a TEI measure (ESCQ, Emotional skills and competence questionnaire) and two measures of DM (CAMM, Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure and AFQ-Y, Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth). Measures selected included: PANAS (Positive affect and negative affect schedule), White Bear Suppression Inventory (a thought suppression inventory), and STAIC (State-Trait Anxiety for Children). Findings pointed out that TEI measures (labeling and expression, understanding, and managing emotions) were positively and significantly related to positive emotional states (especially, positive affect and balance) and negatively with a lower association with state anxiety. However, DM measures were both negatively and strongly associated with negative emotional states (thought suppression, negative affect, and anxiety). Conclusions indicate that a combined effect of both TEI skills and DM based interventions would be more complete than each one separately for better social functioning of children and teenagers.

Stability and Change in Trait Emotional Intelligence in Emerging Adulthood: A Four-Year Population-Based Study

Trait Emotional Intelligence (EI)-related competencies are in growing demand in educational and vocational settings. The present study assesses the developmental dynamics of trait EI in emerging adulthood by capitalizing on the inclusion of a measure of trait EI in the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) called the Emotional Quotient Inventory: Mini (EQ-i: Mini). A sample of 1064 young adults (50% female) from ages 20–21 to 24–25 years was used to assess 4-year rank-order stability and mean-level change of trait EI, as well as whether the EQ-i: Mini functions equivalently over time (longitudinal measurement invariance). Results revealed full configural, partial metric, and scalar invariance of the construct for this time period. The Stress Management subscale achieved invariance at the residual level. After controlling for partial non-invariance, moderate levels of rank-order stability coefficients were found, suggesting malleability of the construct during emerging adulthood. Consistent with the maturity principle, there was a moderate increase in trait EI (specifically in the Interpersonal and Adaptability subscales). The malleability of trait EI suggests opportunities for enhancing socioemotional competencies in emerging adults, such as through formal and continuing education programing, on-the-job training, and targeted employment interventions.

An Investigation of the Psychometric Properties of Emotional Intelligence Scale Using Item Response Theory

Students’ emotional intelligence represents an important variable that is connected to students’ academic achievementand life success. One main challenge when measuring students’ emotional intelligence is to have a valid and reliablemeasure that captures this emotional construct. The current study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of theArabic version of Alsmadoni emotional intelligence scale (AEIS-25) using item response theory (IRT) models. Thestudy was applied among 3030 students in grades 7-10 in Oman.Data model fit was examined through evaluating IRT assumptions (i.e. unidimensional assumption and localindependence assumption) and goodness of fit (i.e. items fit and persons fit). It was found that item parameters wereacceptable and satisfactory, which indicates the appropriateness of AEIS to examine emotional intelligence amongadolescents. Findings from exploratory factor analysis for 2924 students and for the remaining 24 items indicated thepresence of a 2-factor model since the third factor was loaded by only one item. AEIS was considered as a reliable andpotentially valid measure of trait emotional intelligence.

Trait Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Adaptive Responses to Positive and Negative Affect During Adolescence.

Introduction and aim : The examination of trait emotional intelligence as an important component of adolescent psychological adjustment and coping has received a great deal of attention. Trait emotional intelligence is expected to reduce the vulnerability to emotional problems by reducing mood deterioration in adverse situations. Most research to date has addressed the regulation of negative affective states, with less attention paid to the responses to positive affect. Thus, the aim of this research was to examine the cross-sectional and prospective associations between trait emotional intelligence dimensions (i.e., trait emotional attention, trait emotional clarity, and trait emotional repair), response styles to negative affect (i.e., depressive rumination and distraction) and response to positive affect (i.e., emotion-focused and self-focused positive rumination and dampening) in adolescence.Methods: A 1-year follow-up study was conducted with a sample of 880 adolescents (52.4% girls) aged 14–17 years old (M = 14.74, SD = 0.68) who were enrolled in 18 high schools in Andalusia (Spain). Participants completed self-report measures of trait emotional intelligence, response to negative affect and response styles to positive affect. To analyse the data, hierarchical regression analyses and path analysis were performed.Results: Our results showed that high trait emotional attention was cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with more dampening of positive affect and more depressive rumination. Furthermore, high trait emotional repair was cross-sectionally and longitudinally related to more distraction to negative affect and more self-focused positive rumination. Some gender differences were also found; girls reported higher trait emotional attention, higher dampening, and higher depressive rumination. Furthermore, boys reported higher trait emotional repair, higher self-focused positive rumination and higher distraction to negative affect.Conclusions and discussion: Our findings provide longitudinal evidence of the relationships between trait emotional intelligence and responses to both positive and negative affect during adolescence. Consequently, interventions designed to promote resilience during adolescence could target the development of more adaptive responses to both negative and positive affect within the framework of school-based emotional education programmes.

Can adults with Asperger’s syndrome learn about positive attachment behaviors between parents and young babies through the use of a skill-training DVD?

ObjectivesTo explore how much people with Asperger’s syndrome know and understand about early attachment behaviors and whether this knowledge can be increased through a DVD.MethodsAdults with Asperger’s syndrome who were not parents (N = 28) took part in four experimental conditions: Baseline, pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. Participants watched a DVD and received a booklet summarizing its contents. Participants were asked seven questions about attachment in all four conditions. Measures of trait emotional intelligence, IQ and autistic symptomatology were explored as possible predicting factors.ResultsA significant increase in knowledge of early attachment behaviors was observed at post-intervention for the total knowledge score and four out of the seven attachment questions. This was maintained at follow-up. Trait emotional intelligence, IQ and autistic symptomology did not predict pre-intervention or increase in knowledge.ConclusionsKnowledge and understanding of early attachment behaviors can be improved through the use of a DVD.

Emotional intelligence, anxiety, and emotional eating: A deeper insight into a recently reported association?

Recent studies reported a negative association between emotional intelligence (EI: defined here as individual predispositions associated with effective identification and regulation of emotions) and emotional eating. Although theory provides some insights into how the concept represents mechanisms that may serve as protective factors, empirical evidence of the mechanism behind the association has yet to be presented. This study tested a proposed model in which anxiety levels mediate the association between emotional intelligence and emotional-eating patterns in a normative sample of women in Israel. A cross-sectional/correlational design was used to gather data from 208 generally healthy female participants who completed measures of trait emotional intelligence, anxiety, and tendency toward emotional eating, as well as demographics. Anxiety levels mediated the negative association between emotional intelligence and emotional eating. Background variables had only marginal involvement in this model. The results shed light on the mechanisms underlying the association between emotional intelligence and emotional eating. Should future studies corroborate the findings, they may serve as a basis for future screening protocols, prevention and interventions with individuals and groups at risk of EE and eating disorders.

¿Hay relación entre los estilos educativos de las madres y la inteligencia emocional de los hijos?

Introducción. En el campo académico, la inteligencia emocional ha sido propuesta como una facultad humana que puede tener un fuerte impacto en diferentes componentes del desarrollo de los niños tales como el rendimiento escolar, la influencia de los amigos, y el ajuste de conducta. En el mismo campo académico, se ha propuesto también que la labor educativa de los padres puede influir en el desarrollo de la inteligencia emocional de sus hijos. Sin embargo, estas propuestas prácticamente no han sido investigadas.Método. Este estudio investiga la relación entre la labor educativa de las madres y la inteligencia emocional de los hijos. Se ha desarrollado en dos fases. En la fase 1 se han examinado dos grupos de conductas educativas de las madres - positivas y negativas - y su relación con la inteligencia emocional de los hijos. En la fase 2 se han investigado los estilos educativos de los padres: democrático, autoritario, permisivo, y no-implicado. Los datos han sido recogidos a través de las respuestas de las madres y los hijos a una batería de cuestionarios.Resultados. En la fase 1, no se obtuvieron correlaciones entre la inteligencia emocional de los niños y las conductas educativas de las madres: positivas y negativas. En la fase 2, el análisis de varianza ANOVA no mostró diferencias significativas en la inteligencia emocional de rasgo de los niños entre los cuatro estilos educativos de las madres.Discusión y Conclusión. Estos resultados, unidos a la revisión de la literatura, sugieren que la inteligencia emocional de rasgo de los niños está más influenciada por estrategias educativas específicamente relacionadas con emociones concretas que por los estilos educativos de las madres

Why are people high in emotional intelligence happier? They make the most of their positive emotions

The present study focuses on the role of positive emotion regulation as a potential mechanism for linking trait emotional intelligence (EI) and subjective well-being (SWB). We examined whether the savouring and dampening of positive emotions mediate the relationship between trait EI and the two components of SWB: life satisfaction and subjective happiness. A sample of 254 participants completed measures of trait EI, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, and the typical use of savouring and dampening strategies. Analyses indicated that trait EI was positively correlated with the two components of SWB and savouring strategies, and negatively correlated with dampening strategies. Furthermore, savouring strategies were positively related to life satisfaction and subjective happiness, whereas dampening strategies were negatively related to life satisfaction and subjective happiness. Notably, path analyses indicated that the savouring and dampening of positive emotions partially mediated the relationship between EI and both life satisfaction and subjective happiness. The findings corroborate an important role of trait EI in promoting SWB and suggest that part of its beneficial effect reveals itself through positive emotion regulation.

The validity of the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale in a Chinese sample: Tests of measurement invariance and latent mean differences across gender and age

The Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS) is one of the most widely used measures of trait emotional intelligence. The aim of this study was to examine measurement equivalence and latent mean differences of the WLEIS across gender and age groups. The sample consisted of 1160 Chinese individuals aged 13–40 years. Confirmation factor analysis (CFA) replicated the original four-factor model previously found in other studies. Importantly, the multi-group CFA revealed that configural, metric and scalar invariance across gender and age groups were supported. Moreover, latent mean scores on the WLEIS subscales were comparable across gender and age groups. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of existing literature in the field.

Trait and Ability Emotional Intelligence in Children With ADHD

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine trait and ability emotional intelligence (EI) in children with ADHD. Method: Forty-one children with ADHD (9-11 years) completed two measures of EI—the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version–short form (EQi:YV-Brief) and the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, Youth Research Version (MSCEIT-YRV). Results: Children with ADHD did not differ on total EI scores from the normative data on either the ability or trait EI measures. However, they scored above the group norms on the MSCEIT-YRV subscale of Managing Emotions and lower on Understanding Emotions. On the EQi:YV-Brief, children with ADHD reported significantly lower Interpersonal and Adaptability EI. Conclusion: Children with ADHD are relatively similar to children without ADHD when examining EI scores. However, there is some variability in the EI measures which should be considered when creating intervention programs.

Giftedness and academic success in college and university

Much of the work on predicting academic success in postsecondary education has focused on the impact of various cognitive abilities, although in recent years there has been increased attention to the role played by emotional and social competency (also called emotional intelligence (EI)). Previous work on the link between EI and giftedness is reviewed, particularly factors connected to the successful transition to postsecondary education. Data are presented from a sample of 171 exceptionally high-achieving secondary students (high school grade-point average of 90% or better) who completed a measure of trait EI at the start of postsecondary studies and who had their academic progress tracked over the next 6 years. High-achieving secondary students who completed an undergraduate degree scored significantly higher on a number of EI dimensions compared to the secondary students who dropped out. Results are discussed in the context of the importance of EI in the successful transition from secondary to postsecondary education.

Ability emotional intelligence and its relation to aggression across time and age groups.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been associated with several indicators of psychosocial adjustment, including aggressive behavior, but the relevant research has been mostly cross-sectional, focused on adults, and limited to trait EI measures (García-Sancho, Salguero & Fernández-Berrocal, 2014; Mayer, Roberts & Barsade, ). The present work explored the relationship between Ability Emotional Intelligence (AEI) and aggression in both adults and adolescents using cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. We conducted two studies. Study 1 aimed to provide preliminary evidence about the relationship between AEI and aggression in adults. As literature has shown personality traits act as a strong predictor of aggression, study 1 also examined the potential incremental validity of AEI beyond personality traits in 474 undergraduate students (M=22.76, SD=5.13). The results indicated AEI explains a significant amount of unique variance for physical aggression, but not for verbal aggression after controlling personality traits. Study 2 aimed a longitudinal analysis of the relationship between EI and aggression in 151 adolescents (M=14.74, SD=0.84). AEI predicted physical aggression over time, but it did not predict verbal aggression. Results from both studies suggest a negative and significant relationship between AEI and physical aggression, however contrary our expectations, it did not for verbal aggression. These results highlight the important explanatory role of emotional abilities in physical aggressive conducts and the implications of these findings are discussed.

Validity and reliability of bilingual English-Arabic version of Schutte self report emotional intelligence scale in an undergraduate Arab medical student sample

Background: The psychological construct of emotional intelligence (EI), its theoretical models, measurement instruments and applications have been the subject of several research studies in health professions education.Aim: The objective of the current study was to investigate the factorial validity and reliability of a bilingual version of the Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Scale (SSREIS) in an undergraduate Arab medical student population.Methods: The study was conducted during April-May 2012. A cross-sectional survey design was employed. A sample (n = 467) was obtained from undergraduate medical students belonging to the male and female medical college of King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 and AMOS 4.0 statistical software to determine the factor structure. Reliability was determined using Cronbach’s alpha statistics.Results: The results obtained using an undergraduate Arab medical student sample supported a multidimensional; three factor structure of the SSREIS. The three factors are Optimism, Awareness-of-Emotions and Use-of-Emotions. The reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) for the three subscales was 0.76, 0.72 and 0.55, respectively.Conclusion: Emotional intelligence is a multifactorial construct (three factors). The bilingual version of the SSREIS is a valid and reliable measure of trait emotional intelligence in an undergraduate Arab medical student population.