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Connection between emotional intelligence and some aspects of psychosocial functioning in elementary and secondary school pupils
Sonja Pečjak & Katja Košir
Full text (pdf) | Views: 34 | Written in Slovene. | Published: April 5, 2003
Abstract: The article focuses on the problem of measuring emotional intelligence in children and adolescents and on the connection between the construct of emotional intelligence and some aspects of psychosocial functioning in elementary and secondary school pupils. Basically there are two main approaches to the measurement of emotional intelligence: the first approach comprehends emotional intelligence as an ability and the second approach as a range of personality traits. In our research we used BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i:YV, 2000), which measures emotional intelligence as a personality trait. The purpose of the article is twofold: first, to check the psychometric characteristics of the questionnaire, and second, to establish the connection between emotional intelligence and some indicators of psychosocial functioning - social acceptance of the pupils in the class, different dimensions of self-concept and the perceptions of the pupils from their schoolmates on different fields of behavior. On the sample of 282 pupils we have found out that EQ-i:YV has an appropriate reliability and factorial validity, but the construct validity of the instrument is questionable. Emotional intelligence as measured by the questionnaire we have used is not significantly connected with measures of social acceptance and perceptions of the pupils from their peers in different fields of behavior. We established a significant connection between measures of emotional intelligence and the pupil's self-concept. Our results confirm the findings of other authors that in further investigation of emotional intelligence the instruments which measure emotional intelligence as an ability should be developed.
Keywords: emotional intelligence, measurement, personality traits, social acceptance, self-concept, pupils
