Family functioning and trait emotional intelligence among youth

Low Emotional Intelligence: A Precursor of Mental Health Derangements Among Adolescents

INTRODUCTION

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the most researched psychological construct in the 21st century. It predicts success and happiness in life and is suggested as a predictor of mental health (MH). We aimed to assess whether low EI among adolescents acts as a precursor of their MH derangements.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cross-sectional study was carried out in Pune Municipal Corporation in 2021 with all due approvals, consent, and assent. EI and MH of adolescents studying in Xth standard in randomly selected 24 out of 440 secondary schools were assessed by Schutte's Emotional Intelligence Test (SET) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 42 (DASS-42) with collection of socio-demographic information. The presence of symptoms of mild to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress was considered as MH derangement. All research instruments were translated into the local language, pre-tested, and validated before use. Class teachers were trained for data collection. Data were imported to SPSS version 20 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) data editor for further analysis. After enlisting frequencies and proportions, associations and correlations were tested by the chi-squared test and Spearman correlation coefficient, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 622 participants submitted all research instruments. The mean age was 14.74 (+0.742) years. Boys and girls were 38% and 62%, respectively. The majority were Hindus, belonging to socio-economic classes II and III, residing in urban areas. Symptoms of severe to extremely severe depression and anxiety, but not stress, were associated with low EI (p < 0.0001, 0.001, and 0.229). Also, the EI score had a negative correlation with the depression score (ρ = -0.221, p < 0.0001) and anxiety score (ρ = -0.152, p = 0.001), but not with the stress score.

CONCLUSION

Low EI can be taken as a precursor of MH derangements, especially in the form of depression and anxiety among school-going adolescents.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Efforts to improve EI among adolescents will help to decrease MH derangements, subsequent MH disorders, and suicidality, with improvement in academic performance.

Relationship between family functioning, differentiation of self and anxiety in Spanish young adults

Objectives

In the present study, the relationship between family functioning, differentiation of self and trait anxiety was examined. In addition, differences in trait anxiety and differentiation of self according to sex were studied. It was also checked whether family functioning predicted the achieved degree of differentiation of self, and whether family functioning and differentiation of self predicted the level of trait anxiety. Finally, it was analyzed whether the level of differentiation of self mediated the relationship between family functioning and trait anxiety.

Methods

The study involved 185 Spanish participants, aged between 18 and 56 years and the scales used were the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale-20Esp (FACES-20Esp), the Differentiation of Self Scale (EDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results

The results indicated that family functioning was related to differentiation of self and trait anxiety, and that differentiation of self was related to trait anxiety. In addition, according to sex, differences were found in the degree of differentiation of self and in the I Position, with a higher score for men, as well as in Emotional Reactivity and trait anxiety, with higher scores for women. It was also observed that family functioning predicted the level of differentiation of self, and that differentiation of self and family functioning predicted trait anxiety. Finally, it was found that the relationship between family functioning and trait anxiety was partially mediated by differentiation of self.

Conclusions

There are relationships between family functioning, differentiation of self and trait anxiety, and there are differences in differentiation of self and trait anxiety based on sex. The relevance of the results and their implications for clinical practice are discussed.

Emotional intelligence and its relationship with stress coping style

This study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and stress coping style in a group of 265 students, using Goleman's Theory of Emotional Intelligence. Findings indicated highest mean value of emotional intelligence for motivation and empathy. Majority students showed active problem and emotional coping behavior; however, a strong, positive correlation between emotional intelligence and stress coping style was found for the domains associated with Active Emotional and Problem Coping (α ⩽ 0.05). It revealed that students are efficient in utilizing stress coping strategies and recommended that professors should provide guidance to students regarding emotional intelligence and stress coping styles.

Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health in the Family: The Influence of Emotional Intelligence Perceived by Parents and Children

INTRODUCTION

The relevant scientific literature has confirmed the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and mental health. In addition, previous studies have underlined the importance of perceived EI between family members in the construction of one's own EI. Adolescence is considered to be a crucial stage in identity construction and a time when mental health is vulnerable.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the mediating role of self-reported EI on mental health of adolescents and young adults still living in the family home, we considered the relationship between perceived EI in parents and children.

METHOD

The sample was comprised of 170 children and their respective fathers and mothers living in the same family home. Self-reported EI was evaluated using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), whereas perceived EI was evaluated via the Perceived Emotional Intelligence Scale-24 (PTMM-24) and mental health using the MH-5.

RESULTS

Parents' perceived EI of their children also children's perceived EI of their parents has a direct effect on children's mental health and an indirect effect through the EI self-reported by children. We discuss the differences in the role of mothers and fathers in emotional education and its influence on the results.

CONCLUSIONS

We highlight the importance of perceived EI among family members, over and above the self-reported EI of each member, for its predictive power on the mental health of children.

Family Functioning and Life Satisfaction: The Mediatory Role of Emotional Intelligence

BACKGROUND

The functioning of the family of origin seems to be one of the key variables that contribute to life satisfaction. Since relationships with one's parents are associated with well-being throughout life, the purpose of our study was to examine the association between family functioning and life satisfaction among Polish adults. Moreover, because some researchers postulate that family functioning affects quality of life directly as well as indirectly through some other variables, we focused on investigating how emotional intelligence might affect the link between family functioning and life satisfaction, as the character of this relationship has received surprisingly little attention.

PATIENTS METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION

The sample consisted of 204 participants (86% women). We measured family functioning, satisfaction with life, and emotional intelligence. The data were collected using online forums through convenience sampling on the basis of availability and the willingness of the participants to respond.

RESULTS

The results showed that both life satisfaction and emotional intelligence correlated positively and significantly with cohesion, flexibility, communication, and family satisfaction. Life satisfaction correlated negatively and significantly with enmeshed, disengaged, and chaotic functioning. In contrast, emotional intelligence correlated negatively and significantly only with chaotic and disengaged functioning. Moreover, emotional intelligence partially mediated the relationship between six dimensions of family functioning (cohesion, flexibility, communication, family satisfaction, disengagement, and chaos) and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

Our findings provide evidence of an indirect association between family functioning and life satisfaction through the mediating role of emotional intelligence. They indicate that individuals who evaluate their family functioning as cohesive, flexible, communicative, and fulfilled, are more likely to process their own emotions and enjoy higher life satisfaction. Conversely, assessment of family of origin as disengaged and chaotic may diminish the ability to manage one's own emotions, which, in turn, can lead to lower life satisfaction.