The relationship between trait emotional intelligence and ADHD symptoms in adolescents and young adults

Technological addictions in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Are they associated with emotional intelligence?

BACKGROUND

The impaired regulation of emotional responses has significant social consequences for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and can be thought to increase the risk for technological addictions.

AIM

Ditto objective of the present research is to investigate the relationship between technological addictions and trait emotional intelligence (EI) in adolescents with ADHD.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 150 treatment-naïve adolescents with ADHD, aged 12-18 years. The sociodemographic information form, the Emotional Quotient-Inventory: Youth Version (EQ-i: YV), Internet Addiction Test, Smartphone Addiction Scale, and Conners' Parent Rating Scales were used for data collection.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that ADHD-C and female patients have lower mean stress management scores on EQ-i: YV. Patients who have smartphone addiction (SA)/problematic internet usage have lower total EI and stress management scores. The oppositional, hyperactivity, and DSM-total scores were negatively correlated with stress management scores. Intrapersonal and stress management scores were negatively correlated to SA symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The stress management dimension was the strongest factor related to ADHD and technological addictions. In adolescents with ADHD, stress management may be the key factor to cope with daily problems. Therefore, the interventions to develop EI can be a therapeutic option in ADHD and technological addictions.

Emotional intelligence, empathy and alexithymia in anorexia nervosa during adolescence

PURPOSE

Socio-emotional difficulties have been observed on adult patients suffering from anorexia nervosa (AN). But researches with adolescents are scarce and non-congruent. The aim of this paper is to identify the socio-emotional difficulties that are encountered by AN during adolescence, and to isolate them from those encountered by control adolescents.

METHOD

41 AN and 38 control adolescents were assessed using the emotional quotient inventory by Bar-On, youth version (EQ-i: YV), the Toronto Alexithymia Questionnaire (TAS-20), the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and anxiety and depression were controlled using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).

RESULTS

Personal distress remains the main difference between the two groups, even when depression and anxiety are controlled. Intrapersonal difficulties are observed in the AN group, as well as alexithymic traits.

CONCLUSION

Research on AN has to focus on the socio-emotional difficulties during adolescence, to properly identify which difficulties are linked to that life period, and which are a trait of AN.

LEVEL III

Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies, preferably from more than one center or research group.

Trait Emotional Intelligence and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Gamers: The Mediating Role of Online Gaming Motives and Moderating Role of Age Groups

Personality differences are important determinants of problematic online behaviors. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of loneliness, depression, and online gaming motives and moderating role of age on the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (EI) and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) via the construction of a multiple mediation model. A total of 478 online gamers completed a self-report online survey, including validated psychometric scales assessing the aforementioned constructs. Results indicated that trait EI was directly and indirectly associated with IGD and that the motive of escape was a partial mediator between trait EI and IGD among the total sample and adult gamers, but not among adolescents. Moreover, trait EI was associated with coping, skill development, fantasy, and recreation gaming motives only among total sample and adult gamers, and the escape motive was positively associated with IGD among total sample and adult gamers. However, among these relationships, only the association between trait EI and fantasy was significantly moderated by age group. Furthermore, the direct effect of trait EI was stronger among adolescent gamers when compared to adult gamers. Results showed that trait EI is inversely associated with IGD and affects gaming for different motives among adolescent and adult gamers.

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.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in the Maintenance of Depression Symptoms and Loneliness Among Children

Identifying factors that predict the maintenance of depression and loneliness in children is important for intervention design. Whilst emotional intelligence (EI) has been identified as a predictor of mental health, research examining how both trait and ability EI contribute to long-term patterns of symptomatology in children is markedly absent. We examined the impact of both TEI and AEI on the maintenance of loneliness and depressive symptoms over 1 year in children aged 9-11 years. Two hundred and thirteen children (54% male) completed the TEIQue-CF and the MSCEIT-YV at the first time point of the study, and the Child Depression Inventory and the Loneliness and Aloneness Scale for Children and Adolescents at Time 1 and, again, 1 year later. Findings indicate that emotional skills (AEI) are important for predicting the maintenance of depressive symptoms and loneliness in children over 1 year; emotional self-competency (TEI) is less influential, only contributing to long-term loneliness in girls. Moreover, whilst deficiencies in the ability to perceive and understand emotions were predictive of prolonged symptomatology, so, too, were proficiencies in using emotion to facilitate thinking and emotion management. Those findings carry important implications for EI theory and future research. They also indicate that EI interventions tailored to groups of "at risk" school children may be useful for reducing specific profiles of internalizing symptoms. Programs targeting AEI skills may be universally helpful for reducing the likelihood that depressive symptoms and loneliness will be maintained over time in middle childhood; girls at risk for prolonged loneliness would additionally benefit from opportunities to bolster TEI.

Comparative study of trait emotional intelligence and executive functioning among youth

This study investigated the relationship between trait emotional intelligence (TEI) and executive skills (ESs), and the differences between TEI and ESs among Malaysian and Iranian youths. In this study, 226 Malaysians and 248 Iranians completed the TEIQue-SF and Executive Skills Questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested with Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings indicated that TEI had significant predictions on ESs, depending on cultural contexts. Significant differences were found in the effects of TEI on ESs, including emotional control, metacognition, goal-directed persistence, response inhibition, planning/prioritization, sustained attention, stress tolerance, task initiation, and working memory among Malaysian and Iranian youth. No significant difference was found in the effects of TEI on ESs, including flexibility, organization, and time management across both groups. This study makes a unique contribution to emotional intelligence and executive functioning research literature by considering several ESs at the same time for personal development and promoting healthier lives. Comparison of the effect of TEI on ESs in the Malaysian and Iranian contexts using advanced analysis methods is one of the most important methodological contributions of the study.

The relation between emotional intelligence and resilience in at-risk populations

PURPOSE

Resilience factors and their relation to emotional intelligence (EI) as a potential strength for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD) were investigated. Children with either ADHD or HFASD were hypothesized to demonstrate reduced EI and differential relations between EI and resilience as compared to typically developing (TD) children.

METHODS

Fifty-four children aged 8-12 years (18 with ADHD, 18 with HFASD, and 18 TD controls) completed the Resilience Scales for Children and Adolescents and BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory. Differences between groups (analysis of variance) and unique relations among the variables (correlation) for each group were examined.

RESULTS

No group differences; however, unique relations between the variables were found within each sample.

CONCLUSIONS

EI may be a unique area of interest for clinical populations and an important consideration in the development and implementation of interventions to capitalize upon inherent strengths. Implications of these results for intervention are discussed.

Trait emotional intelligence in a sample of Egyptian children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND

The link between types and severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and trait emotional intelligence (TEI) is still underinvestigated, especially in children. We aimed to examine the relationship between TEI and ADHD symptoms in a sample of Egyptian children.

METHOD

The study included 50 children with ADHD, who were compared on the basis of their TEI and contrasted with 25 matched healthy controls. They were subjected to the Arabic version of the following scales: Connors scale 3rd edition, parent rating form, Kiddie-Schedule for affective disorders and Schizophrenia present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), Stanford Binet intelligence scale, 4th edition and Trait Emotional Intelligence Child form (TEI) and a semistructured clinical data sheet for sociodemographic data.

RESULTS

Using TEI scale, the control group was shown to have higher scores in TEI than cases, there was a high significant difference with regards to eight of nine TEI facets together with the TEI global score. Moreover, the control group significantly outperformed ADHD children with mixed and hyperactive subtypes on TEI global score in all facets except for adaptability. Meanwhile, the inattentive group performed significantly poorer than those in the control group on TEI global score, adaptability, emotional expression, self-motivation and emotion regulation facets. Trait Emotional Intelligence was negatively correlated with four of ADHD symptom groups assessed by Connors test, namely; impulsivity, cognitive, social problem, and emotional liability symptoms. However, Impulsivity was negatively correlated with all the domains of TEI except for adaptability and emotional expression. On the other hand, oppositional symptoms did not show a significant correlation with any of the TEI facets.

CONCLUSIONS

Trait emotional intelligence is highly impaired in children with ADHD and emotional deficits are corner stone features of that disorder, low impulsivity facet of TEI is highly correlated with social problems and poor peer relations.

Structural and Predictive Properties of the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S])

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a popular construct with concentrated areas of application in education and health contexts. There is a need for reliable and valid measurement of EI in young people, with brief yet sensitive measures of the construct preferable for use in time-limited settings. However, the proliferation of EI measures has often outpaced rigorous psychometric evaluation (Gignac, 2009 ). Using data from 849 adolescents (407 females, 422 males) aged 11 to 16 years (M age 13.4, SD = 1.2 years), this article systematically examines the structural and predictive properties of a frequently employed measure of adolescent trait EI-the Emotional Quotient Inventory Youth Version-Short Form (EQ-i:YV[S]); Bar-On & Parker, 2000 ). Although the intended multidimensional factor structure was recovered through confirmatory factor analysis, the statistical and conceptual coherency of the underlying model was inadequate. Using a multitrait-multimethod approach, the EQ-i:YV(S) was found to converge with other measures of EI; however, evidence for divergent validity (Big Five personality dimensions) was less robust. Predictive utility for adolescent mental health outcomes (depression, disruptive behavior) was also limited. Findings suggest that use of the EQ-i:YV(S) for predictive or evaluative purposes should be avoided until refinements to the scale are made.

Maintaining Life Satisfaction in Adolescence: Affective Mediators of the Influence of Perceived Emotional Intelligence on Overall Life Satisfaction Judgments in a Two-Year Longitudinal Study

Much attention has been paid to the psychological processes underlying the improvement in mood states and human well-being, particularly during adolescence. Theoretical and empirical research suggests that emotional skills may play a role in enhancing perceived well-being; however, the mechanisms involved in during adolescence are unclear. The purpose of this study was to extend understanding by investigating the potential mediators of the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and life satisfaction in a 2-years study. Participants were 269 high school students (145 girls and 124 boys) who completed the self-report perceived emotional intelligence (PEI) Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale three times at 1-year intervals. The three-step longitudinal design corroborated earlier research indicating that positive and negative affect mediate the relationships between EI and life satisfaction. Students with high PEI tended to have more positive experiences and fewer negative experiences, which contributed to their greater life satisfaction. No sex differences were found in the multi-group analyses, suggesting that the causal relationships are similar in both sexes. These findings extend our understanding of the complex network of relationships involving PEI and life satisfaction in adolescence. Implications and limitations of the findings are discussed.

The Promise of Neurotechnology in Clinical Translational Science

Neurotechnology is broadly defined as a set of devices used to understand neural processes and applications that can potentially facilitate the brain's ability to repair itself. In the past decade, an increasingly explicit understanding of basic biological mechanisms of brain-related illnesses has produced applications that allow a direct yet noninvasive method to index and manipulate the functioning of the human nervous system. Clinical scientists are poised to apply this technology to assess, treat, and better understand complex socioemotional processes that underlie many forms of psychopathology. In this review, we describe the potential benefits and hurdles, both technical and methodological, of neurotechnology in the context of clinical dysfunction. We also offer a framework for developing and evaluating neurotechnologies that is intended to expedite progress at the nexus of clinical science and neural interface designs by providing a comprehensive vocabulary to describe the necessary features of neurotechnology in the clinic.