A scale for assessing nursing students' emotional competence: A validation study

BACKGROUND

The wellbeing of nursing professionals can be affected by emotionally challenging situations. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a recognised ability to manage stress, reduce work overload, and improve clinical relationships and decision making. Therefore, these emotional skills should be identified and developed throughout nursing education.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to create an observer-based emotional measurement tool to assess the level of emotional skills in university students.

DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Complutense University in Madrid, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 415 first- and fourth-year nursing students participated.

METHODS

The Situational Emotional Response Scale (ERES) is a questionnaire for observing emotional competence in nursing practice. It underwent content validation using the Delphi method with 6 experts, resulting in a final version of 34 items. Focus group sessions were conducted with nursing students to ensure readability and appropriateness. Participants completed the ERES after viewing two clinical interaction videos, resulting in two sets of responses. Half of the responses were used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and half for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

RESULTS

A total of 415 nursing students participated in the study. Four factors were extracted, explaining 55.1 % of the variance. The CFA was conducted with 208 students, yielding a total of 4 factors and a variance of 55.1 %. The internal consistency of the scale was high, with Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients of 0.947 and 0.949, respectively. Test-retest reliability showed a moderate intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.604 (95 % CI: 0.503-0.688) over a 15-day interval.

CONCLUSIONS

The ERES questionnaire is well grounded in the theoretical framework of emotional competence as manifested in clinical practice. The empirical evidence provided by this study suggests that the ERES is a reliable, valid, useful, and innovative instrument for measuring emotional competence in university students.

Introducing an attitude-based approach to emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) was originally conceived as an ability, followed soon after by mixed, competency and trait theoretical models, broadly described as emotional efficacies (EE). Several models have attempted to integrate both approaches, with different views on whether EI and EE operate in sequence or parallel. One reason for this may be that EE constructs are given the same ontological status whether they represent underlying attitudes, such as self-regard, or behavioral competencies, such as assertiveness. In this paper, it is proposed that attitudes may predominantly act as underlying antecedents of ability-EI and behavioral-EE. Five benefits of this approach are drawn out that help to address some key concerns with current models and measures of EI and EE. First, the inclusion of implicit and explicit attitudes within integrated models of EI/EE would support the dual-processing of conscious and automated processes. From this, an attitude-based dual-processing framework for EI/EE is recommended. Second, the concept of Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR) for self and others, is identified as a potential attitude that may underpin the two core pillars of intrapersonal and interpersonal EI/EE. Third, UPR attitudes would provide an ethical basis for EI/EE that may support ethical and prosocial behavior. Fourth, UPR attitudes may differentiate between the optimal and sub-optimal elements of EI/EE. Fifth, an attitude-based approach to EI/EE may be more aligned with EI/EE being developmental than are the more static ability or trait-based models of EI/EE.

Working with emotions: emotional intelligence, performance and creativity in the knowledge-intensive workforce

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether work-related emotional intelligence (W-EI) benefits job performance among knowledge-intensive workers.

Design/methodology/approach

Postdoctoral researchers (Study 1) and industry researchers (Study 2) were recruited (total N = 304). These knowledge workers completed an ability-based emotional intelligence (EI) test and characterized their work-related performance. Potential moderators were also assessed.

Findings

There were positive relations between W-EI scores and both task performance and creative performance. In addition, these relationships were stronger in the context of higher levels of job negative affect and/or role overload.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, these findings are among the first to demonstrate the value of the EI construct within a knowledge-intensive workforce.

Empathetic Concern in Emerging Adolescents: The Role of Theory of Mind and Gender Roles

The current study examined the roles of gender, and gender-role orientation in young adolescents' empathetic concern. In addition, this study aimed to explore the contribution of Theory of Mind in participants' empathetic concern. Finally, this study examined whether gender and gender-role orientation were implicated in emerging adolescents' Theory of Mind understanding. One-hundred-fifty 11- to 12-year-olds (79 self-identified females) completed questionnaires measuring their empathetic concern, Theory of Mind, and their perceived gender-role orientation. Results showed that gender-role orientation, specifically, femininity and masculinity predicted empathetic concern above and beyond gender. In addition, the effects of cognitive and affective Theory of Mind are explored and discussed in relation to empathetic concern. Finally, neither gender nor gender-role orientation was found to contribute to participants' Theory of Mind understanding. These findings suggest that emerging adolescents' perceived gender roles, as well as their ability to consider another's beliefs, play a role in their expression of empathetic concern.

Development and Validation of the Emotion Regulation Ability Test for Chinese Youth

A culture- and age-appropriate instrument for measuring emotion regulation ability is needed for the research and practice of Chinese adolescents’ emotion regulation. This study developed and validated a situational judgment test of emotion regulation ability for Chinese youth (STER-CY). Three samples were recruited, and approximately 4380 5th- to 11th-grade students (but no 9th-grade students) participated in the study. Researchers collected emotional situations and responses based on the life of indigenous samples and examined the reliability and validity of the test scores. The results showed that Cronbach’s alpha and test–retest correlations provided evidence for the reliability of the test scores. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis supported unidimensionality. Construct validity was further verified by convergent and discriminant validity. Criteria-related validity was confirmed by the correlations between this test and some outcome variables related to emotion regulation. It was also found that girls scored higher on this test than boys did and that emotion regulation ability significantly increased from 5th to 7th grade, but it did not improve from 7th to 11th grade. Considered together, these findings showed that the STER-CY is a psychometrically sound measure of emotion regulation ability and can be used in future research and practice.

Emotional Intelligence and the Different Manifestations of Bullying in Children

The main objective of this research was to help clarify the relationship between ability emotional intelligence (AEI) and bullying in children. Bullying is a maladaptive behaviour that generates severe adverse consequences in the school environment and is a matter of growing concern in the educational community. To investigate the relationship between AEI and bullying, we administered two tests to a sample of 329 students (52.9% girls) aged between 8 and 12 years old (M_age = 9.3; SD = 1.2). AEI was assessed using a test based on the interpretation of cinema scenes (EMOCINE). EMOCINE was designed to measure two of the primary factors considered in Mayer and Salovey’s ability model: emotional perception and emotional understanding. Furthermore, we administered a measure of bullying and school violence (AVE), which provides a global index of bullying, as well as a measure of its intensity, by considering eight scales or types of victimisation (harassment, intimidation, coercion, threats, social blocking, social exclusion, manipulation and aggression). The results show that age had a statistically significant effect on measures of bullying, while gender showed an interaction with victimisation types. A reduction in bullying behaviours was observed as the age of children increased, while gender-based analyses revealed different patterns in bullying behaviours. Regarding EI, it was observed that students with high AEI scores presented the lowest levels in both global bullying indexes and the victimisation types. Consequently, AEI seems to have important implications for bullying behaviours, and therefore, interventions aimed at the evaluation, training and development of AEI might offer the educational community the possibility of preventing or redirecting bullying situations.

Teaching emotional and social competencies: Efficacy of a work readiness program designed for vulnerable youth

BACKGROUND: As emotional and social competency training proliferates within a work readiness context, concerns remain regarding their efficacy. Data on these programs tends to be scarce and outcome objectives are often poorly defined. OBJECTIVE: Authors developed and tested a work readiness emotional and social competency program specifically designed for at-risk young adults, tailored with best practices in mind. METHOD: 84 clients of a community organization that provides employment support to young adults with disabilities (48 men and 36 women) with a mean age of 28.17 years (SD = 11.64) completed measures of emotional intelligence and alexithymia on either side of the 4-week intervention. RESULTS: Men’s interpersonal scores and women’s adaptability scores showed significant improvement across the intervention. In addition, women’s scores in both identifying and describing feelings improved significantly, as did men’s scores in describing feelings. CONCLUSIONS: Within the context of work readiness, participants in an intervention to improve emotional and social competencies can see key improvements to competencies linked to occupational attainment.

Correlates of Self-Estimated Intelligence

This paper reports two studies examining correlates of self-estimated intelligence (SEI). In the first, 517 participants completed a measure of SEI as well as self-estimated emotional intelligence (SEEQ), physical attractiveness, health, and other ratings. Males rated their IQ higher (74.12 vs. 71.55) but EQ lower (68.22 vs. 71.81) than females but there were no differences in their ratings of physical health in Study 1. Correlations showed for all participants that the higher they rated their IQ, the higher their ratings of EQ, attractiveness, and health. A regression of self-estimated intelligence onto three demographic, three self-ratings and three beliefs factors accounted for 30% of the variance. Religious, educated males who did not believe in alternative medicine gave higher SEI scores. The second study partly replicated the first, with an N = 475. Again, males rated their IQ higher (106.88 vs. 100.71) than females, but no difference was found for EQ (103.16 vs. 103.74). Males rated both their attractiveness (54.79 vs. 49.81) and health (61.24 vs. 55.49) higher than females. An objective test-based cognitive ability and SEI were correlated r = 0.30. Correlations showed, as in Study 1, positive relationships between all self-ratings. A regression showed the strongest correlates of SEI were IQ, sex and positive self-ratings. Implications and limitations are noted.

[The Emotional Competence of Mothers and the Clinical Quality of Mother-Child Relationship in a Preschool Psychiatric Population]

The Emotional Competence of Mothers and the Clinical Quality of Mother-Child Relationship in a Preschool Psychiatric Population The quality of mother-child interaction and relationship is an essential risk factor for the development of mental disorders at preschool age. We examine maternal emotional competence and maternal level of psychopathology as predictors for the quality of mother-child relationship. At the beginning of their treatment a clinical sample of mother-child-dyads at the Child Psychiatric Family Day Hospital in Münster was assessed concerning the emotional competence of mothers (EKF), the maternal psychopathology (SCL) and the mother-child relationship quality, the latter with three different instruments reflecting the mother's, the child's and the therapist's perspective (PIR-GAS, SKEI, M-PCR). The mothers showed decreased results in the EKF scales emotional regulation, recognition of emotions and in the EKF-overall-score and presented a higher level of maternal psychopathology compared to the normal population. There is a direct relation between emotional regulation and the M-PCR scales affective bond and functional-conflict. Besides the direct influence of the maternal psychopathology, the expected moderator effect of emotional expressiveness and the M-PCR scale functional-conflict, reported by mothers, was apparent. Certain aspects of the emotional competence of mothers and their psychopathology show an influence on mother-child relationship quality. The method and the perspective of assessment are crucial to the results.

Conceptualization and Measurement of Adolescent Prosocial Behavior: Looking Back and Moving Forward

The struggle to cast a net around the numerous ways prosocial behavior is expressed lends itself to the absence of widely accepted methods of measurement. Additionally, research intent on evaluating the psychometric properties of current approaches has been somewhat limited. Weaving together seminal as well as contemporary research, the current review focuses on how these conceptual and measurement issues pertain to adolescent studies (in an intentional effort to offset the somewhat disproportionate focus directed toward prosocial development in infants, children, and adults). Recommendations to address current limitations and attain a more nuanced understanding of the construct are presented and discussed.

Evaluating the higher-order structure of the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC): Confirmatory factor analysis and Bayesian structural equation modeling

Emotional competence (EC) reflects individual differences in the identification, comprehension, expression, regulation, and utilization of one’s own and others’ emotions. EC can be operationalized using the Profile of Emotional Competence (PEC). This scale measures each of the five core emotional competences (identification, comprehension, expression, regulation, and utilization), separately for one’s own and others’ emotions. However, the higher-order structure of the PEC has not yet been systematically examined. This study aimed to fill this gap using four different samples (French-speaking Belgian, Dutch-speaking Belgian, Spanish, and Japanese). Confirmatory factor analyses and Bayesian structural equation modeling revealed that a structure with two second-order factors (intrapersonal and interpersonal EC) and with residual correlations among the types of competence (identification, comprehension, expression, regulation, and utilization) fitted the data better than alternative models. The findings emphasize the importance of distinguishing between intrapersonal and interpersonal domains in EC, offer a better framework for differentiating among individuals with different EC profiles, and provide exciting perspectives for future research.

Predicting the Pursuit of Post-Secondary Education: Role of Trait Emotional Intelligence in a Longitudinal Study

Trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a constellation of emotional self-perceptions and dispositions related to perceiving, understanding, using, and managing emotions of self and others. Although higher trait EI has been implicated in post-secondary success among university students. There is lack of evidence for whether it predicts the pursuit of post-secondary education (PSE) in emerging adulthood. This was the first study to investigate the role of trait EI in PSE pursuit using a large, nationally-representative sample of Canadian young adults who participated in the National Longitudinal Survey for Children and Youth (NLSCY). Participants in this dataset reported on their PSE status at three biennial waves (age 20-21, 22-23, and 24-25), and completed a four-factor self-report scale for trait EI (Emotional Quotient Inventory: Mini) at ages 20-21 and 24-25. Higher trait EI subscale scores were significantly associated with greater likelihood of PSE participation both concurrently, and at 2- and 4-year follow-ups. Overall, these associations were larger for men than women. The finding that these links persisted over a multi-year period is particularly promising, as it represents an important validation step toward further investment in socioemotional competencies as part of youth development interventions.

The subjective-objective deficit paradox in schizotypy extends to emotion regulation and awareness

There is an emerging subjective-objective deficit paradox in schizotypy. Individuals with schizotypy report severe subjective complaints in several key functional domains commensurate with that of individuals with schizophrenia. However, objective assessments of the same domains show relatively intact performance. We examined whether this subjective-objective deficit paradox extends to two closely linked affective processes: emotion regulation and awareness. Individuals with elevated social anhedonia (SocAnh; n = 61) and elevated perceptual aberration/magical ideation (PerMag; n = 73) were compared to control participants (n = 81) on subjective and objective measures of emotion regulation and awareness. Subjective measures included self-report questionnaires assessing regulatory ability, attention to emotion, and emotional clarity. Implicit emotion regulation was assessed by the Emotion Regulation-Implicit Association Test (ER-IAT) while objective emotional awareness was assessed by the Levels of Emotional Awareness Scale (LEAS), a performance-based test. Results showed that both SocAnh and PerMag groups reported notable deficits in almost all subjective measures relative to controls (composite ds > 0.55). In contrast, performance on ER-IAT and LEAS was very similar to controls (composite ds < 0.11). The current study suggests that the subjective-objective deficit paradox extends to emotion regulation and awareness, highlighting the importance of higher-order cognitive bias in understanding emotional abnormalities in schizotypy.

Factor Invariance of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 in a Sample of Chilean Adolescents

The purpose of this study is to adapt the Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 (TMMS-24; Fernández-Berrocal, Extremera, & Ramos, 2004, Spanish short version of the TMMS, Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995) to the Chilean adolescent population (13-17 years), analyzing the psychometric properties of the instrument through confirmatory factor analyses, factor invariance analysis, and latent mean differences. For this purpose, a sample of 3,255 secondary and high school students, between 12 and 18 years old (M = 15.28, SD = 1.24), were recruited. The results confirm the measurement invariance and structure of TMMS-24 scores by sex and age. The results of the latent mean analysis show the existence of significant differences associated with sex and age in the TMMS-24 attention to feelings factor. The adequate psychometric properties of the TMMS-24 show that it is valid for the Chilean adolescent population, thus covering the existing gap in this context.

Increases in Emotional Intelligence After an Online Training Program Are Associated With Better Decision-Making on the Iowa Gambling Task

Higher levels of emotional intelligence have been associated with better inter and intrapersonal functioning. In the present study, 59 healthy men and women were randomized into either a three-week online training program targeted to improve emotional intelligence (n = 29), or a placebo control training program targeted to improve awareness of nonemotional aspects of the environment (n = 30). Compared to placebo, participants in the emotional intelligence training group showed increased performance on the total emotional intelligence score of the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, a performance measure of emotional intelligence, as well as subscales of perceiving emotions and facilitating thought. Moreover, after emotional intelligence training, but not after placebo training, individuals displayed the ability to arrive at optimal performance faster (i.e., they showed a faster learning rate) during an emotion-guided decision-making task (i.e., the Iowa Gambling Task). More specifically, although both groups showed similar performance at the start of the Iowa Gambling Task from pre- to posttraining, the participants in the emotional intelligence training group learned to choose more advantageous than disadvantageous decks than those in the placebo training group by the time they reached the "hunch" period of the task (i.e., the point in the task when implicit task learning is thought to have occurred). Greater total improvements in performance on the Iowa Gambling Task from pre- to posttraining in the emotional intelligence training group were also positively correlated with pre- to posttraining changes in Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test scores, in particular with changes in the ability to perceive emotions. The present study provides preliminary evidence that emotional intelligence can be trained with the help of an online training program targeted at adults; it also suggests that changes in emotional intelligence, as a result of such a program, can lead to improved emotion-guided decision-making.

Taxometric Analysis of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia: Further Evidence That Alexithymia Is a Dimensional Construct

Alexithymia is a clinically relevant personality construct characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, externally oriented thinking, and impoverished imaginal processes. Previous taxometric investigations provided evidence that alexithymia is best conceptualized as a continuous dimension rather than a discrete type, at least when assessed with the self-report 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The aim of the current study was to test the categorical versus dimensional structure of alexithymia using the recently developed Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia. Three nonredundant taxometric procedures (MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) were performed on the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia subscale scores from a multinational sample of 842 adults. All taxometric procedures produced unambiguously dimensional solutions, providing further evidence that the core alexithymia features are continuously distributed in the population. Discussion focuses on the theoretical, assessment, and clinical implications of these findings for the alexithymia construct.

Assessing Anger Expression: Construct Validity of Three Emotion Expression-Related Measures

Self-report measures of emotional expression are common, but their validity to predict objective emotional expression, particularly of anger, is unclear. We tested the validity of the Anger Expression Inventory (AEI; Spielberger et al., 1985 ), Emotional Approach Coping Scale (EAC; Stanton, Kirk, Cameron, & Danoff-Burg, 2000 ), and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20; Bagby, Taylor, & Parker, 1994 ) to predict objective anger expression in 95 adults with chronic back pain. Participants attempted to solve a difficult computer maze by following the directions of a confederate who treated them rudely and unjustly. Participants then expressed their feelings for 4 min. Blinded raters coded the videos for anger expression, and a software program analyzed expression transcripts for anger-related words. Analyses related each questionnaire to anger expression. The AEI Anger-Out scale predicted greater anger expression, as expected, but AEI Anger-In did not. The EAC Emotional Processing scale predicted less anger expression, but the EAC Emotional Expression scale was unrelated to anger expression. Finally, the TAS-20 predicted greater anger expression. Findings support the validity of the AEI Anger-Out scale but raise questions about the other measures. The assessment of emotional expression by self-report is complex and perhaps confounded by general emotional experience, the specificity or generality of the emotion(s) assessed, and self-awareness limitations. Performance-based or clinician-rated measures of emotion expression are needed.