Intrapersonal Emotional Intelligence during Adolescence: Sex Differences, Connection with other Variables, and Predictors

Exploring the interplay of emotional intelligence, psychological resilience, perceived stress, and life satisfaction: A cross-sectional study in the Turkish context

BACKGROUND

Emotional intelligence and life satisfaction are essential components for good psychological well-being. Studies examining the elements contributing to emotional intelligence and its relationships with different psychological constructs are likely to positively contribute to mental health. Therefore, the present study examined the mediating roles of perceived stress and psychological resilience in the relationship between emotional intelligence and life satisfaction.

METHODS

The study sample comprised 780 university students (62.3% females) studying at universities in different regions of Türkiye. An online survey included the Emotional Intelligence Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Psychological Resilience Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. A multifactorial complex predictive correlational design was used.

RESULTS

The results showed that emotional intelligence was (i) positively correlated with life satisfaction and psychological resilience, and (ii) negatively correlated with perceived stress. In the final model, perceived stress and psychological resilience played a mediating role in the relationship between emotional intelligence and life satisfaction. The findings suggest that higher emotional intelligence may lower perceived stress and appears to have a positive effect in relation to life satisfaction and psychological resilience.

CONCLUSION

Individuals working in the field of mental health need to help individuals increase their level of EI, which may help reduce the level of perceived stress and increase psychological resilience and life satisfaction.

Self-injury functions mediate the association between anxiety and self-injury frequency among depressed Chinese adolescents: sex differences

Objective

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has become a common clinical problem that severely threatens the mental and physical health of Chinese adolescents. This study explores the mediation effects of NSSI functions on the relationship between anxiety and NSSI frequency among depressed Chinese adolescents as well as the sex differences in the mediating effects.

Methods

In this study, a cross-sectional survey method was used to obtain data of 1773 adolescent patients with major depressive disorders from over 20 specialized psychiatric hospitals across multiple provinces in China. A self-designed questionnaire for demographic information, the Chinese version of Functional Assessment of Self- Mutilation (C-FASM), and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were employed to investigate demographic data, NSSI frequency, NSSI functions, and anxiety and to analyze the mediating effects of NSSI functions on the association between anxiety and NSSI frequency among adolescents of different sexes.

Results

A total of 316 male patients and 1457 female patients were investigated. Female patients had a higher NSSI frequency (Z=3.195, P=0.001) and higher anxiety scores than did male patients (Z=2.714, P=0.007). Anxiety had a stronger positive predictive effect on the NSSI frequency in females (OR = 1.090) than in males (OR = 1.064). For male patients, the emotion regulation function in NSSI motivation played a full mediating role in the association between anxiety and NSSI frequency. For female patients, the emotion regulation and social avoidance functions in NSSI functions played a partial mediating role between anxiety and NSSI frequency.

Conclusions

There are sex differences in the mediating role of NSSI functions of depressed adolescents in the association between anxiety and NSSI frequency. When experiencing anxiety, both males and females may engage in NSSI behaviors as a means to regulate their emotions. For females, anxiety can directly predict NSSI frequency, and they may attempt NSSI to achieve the purpose of rejecting others. In the face of anxiety among depressed adolescents of different sexes, developing different emotional regulation methods and behavioral regulation strategies may be critical in preventing their NSSI behaviors.

The effect of parenting styles on adolescent bullying behaviours in China: The mechanism of interpersonal intelligence and intrapersonal intelligence

Bullying is a problematic public behaviour of great concern worldwide, which occurs commonly in China. Parenting and emotional intelligence have previously been verified as crucial aspects in determining the bullying behaviours of adolescents. However, evidence of the interactive effect of these vital factors needs to be more extensive. This study attempts to analyze the relationships and mechanisms of parenting on bullying through emotional intelligence, which consists of interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence. Based on Chinese education panel survey data of 8730 adolescents, this paper used OLS regression and SEM methods to estimate the impact and mechanisms of parenting styles on bullying behaviours among adolescents. High-demand and responsive parenting styles can significantly reduce adolescents' bullying behaviours. Intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligence are important mediating variables, and parenting with high demandingness and high responsiveness can significantly improve the interpersonal intelligence of adolescents, thereby reducing children's bullying behaviour. Although low levels of intrapersonal intelligence would increase bullying behaviours in adolescents, high demandingness and high responsiveness of parenting can significantly improve adolescents' intrapersonal intelligence. Parents can reduce adolescents' bullying behaviours by increasing emotional responses and normative requirements. This result provides a new perspective on the solution to the problem of youth bullying.

Perception of Parental Attitudes and Self-Efficacy in Refusing Alcohol Drinking and Smoking by Spanish Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to initiation of the use of substances harmful to health, and its increase is cause for concern. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between self-efficacy in refusing alcohol and the attitude of adolescents toward drugs and their perception of their parents' attitude toward refusal. The study was carried out in 2019 in a sample of 1287 students from 11 public high schools in the province of Almería (Spain). Students were aged 14 to 18 in their 3rd and 4th year of compulsory secondary education. The Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-Revised Adolescent version (DRSEQ-RA), Attitudes Toward Taking Drugs-Basic BIP Scale and the Parents' attitudes Toward Drug Use were administered. The results showed that family relationships seem to have a direct impact on adolescent patterns in smoking and drinking alcohol. However, a favorable attitude toward drugs is a risk factor for drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco. The self-efficacy dimension also acts as a protective factor against the probability of using alcohol or tobacco. The conclusions emphasized that communication within the family core can increase or decrease the risk of adolescents using substances harmful to health.

The impact of parenting styles on undergraduate students' emotion regulation: The mediating role of academic-social student-faculty interaction

Based on the survey data of 4,462 undergraduate students in Zhejiang Province, mainland China, this study investigated the influence of parenting styles on emotion regulation and the mediating role of student-faculty interaction. The study found that: (1) Male students scored significantly higher than female students on emotion regulation, overprotective parenting style and student-faculty interaction. (2) Parenting style has a direct positive effect on emotion regulation, and warm parenting style has a much greater effect on emotion regulation than overprotective parenting style. (3) The mediating effect of student-faculty interaction in the relationship between parenting style and emotion regulation holds true, with the mediating effect of academic student-faculty interaction being much higher than that of social student-faculty interaction. (4) The influence of warm parenting style on emotion regulation relies more on the direct effect, while the influence of overprotective parenting style on emotion regulation relies more on the mediating effect of student-faculty interaction.

Research on the influence of sports participation on school bullying among college students—Chain mediating analysis of emotional intelligence and self-esteem

Purposes

This paper aims to discuss the relationship between college students’ sports participation, school bullying, emotional intelligence and self-esteem. At the same time, it explores the intrinsic mechanisms of school bullying, in order to provide a reference for reducing bullying phenomenon among college students, and pave the way for college students to lead happy, healthy and confident lives.

Methods

A total of 1,317 students (725 male students, 592 female students, 21.31 ± 3.28 years old) from four universities in Southwest China were selected as subjects for this survey. They were selected by stratified random sampling, and the data needed was obtained using a structured questionnaire. The data was subsequently processed with statistical software SPSS19.0 and AMOS21.0.

Results

(1) Sports participation has a significant and positive correlation with emotional intelligence and self-esteem, likewise, it has a significant negative correlation with school bullying. Emotional intelligence has a marked positive correlation with self-esteem, at the same time it has a significant negative correlation with school bullying. In addition, self-esteem is strongly negative correlated with school bullying. (2) Sports participation has a direct effect on school bullying (ES = −0.271). Emotional intelligence (ES = −0.144) and self-esteem (ES = −0.065) also play a significant mediating role between sports participation and school bullying, and the chain mediating force of emotional intelligence—self-esteem also reaches a significant level (ES = −0.016).

Conclusion

Sports participation affects school bullying among college students not only directly but also indirectly, such as through emotional intelligence, the mediating role of self-esteem, and the chain mediating role of emotional intelligence to self-esteem. Apart from sports participation, emotional intelligence is another key factor that affects college students’ school bullying. Therefore, while attaching great importance to college students’ sport participation, schools should also provide courses aimed at developing students’ emotional intelligence.

The relationship between negative peer relationship and non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese adolescents: A moderated-mediation model

Objective

The objective of the study was to investigate the mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) between negative peer relationship and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), as well as the moderating effect of gender difference.

Methods

A study of 578 Chinese adolescents (46.9% males, mean age = 16.32 years, SD =0.54) was conducted using the Child and Adolescent Peer Relationship Inventory, Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Adolescent Self-Injury Questionnaire.

Results

Negative peer relationship was positively correlated with NSSI, and RESE was negatively correlated with negative peer relationship and NSSI. RESE mediated the association between negative peer relationship and NSSI. The first stage(predicting the effect of negative peer relationship on RESE) and the second stage (predicting the effect of RESE on NSSI) of the mediation effect of RESE were both moderated by gender. Specifically, compared with boys, the effect of negative peer relationship on RESE was stronger for girls, and the effect of RESE on NSSI was stronger for girls than boys.

Conclusion

Negative peer relationships may influence NSSI of adolescents through the mediating effect of RESE and the moderating role of gender.

Emotional intelligence and self-esteem: Personal competencies necessary for physicians

Introduction

Even though emotional intelligence and self-esteem are truly important variables in healthcare, the fact is that there are few studies on these constructs in Spanish physicians. The objective was to analyze the relationship between self-esteem and emotional intelligence in Spanish physicians, and their relationship with sociodemographic and employment variables.

Methods

The study included a sample of 180 physicians with a mean age of 34.61, 76.7% of whom were women. The physician completed the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, the Brief Emotional Intelligence Inventory for Senior Citizens and a questionnaire on sociodemographic and work characteristics through a CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviewing).

Results

The results showed that the interpersonal factor of emotional intelligence diminished with age and number of children. Furthermore, women scored significantly higher in interpersonal emotional intelligence and men in adaptability. Physicians with stable contracts (46.1%) scored higher in all the emotional intelligence variables, with almost a small effect size. In the relationship between self-esteem and emotional intelligence, it was found that global self-esteem of physicians was positively related to the Stress Management, Adaptability and Mood dimensions. Physicians with high self-esteem (72.8%) showed better Stress Management and Mood than those with low self-esteem (6.1%), while in the Adaptability factor, physicians with high global self-esteem scored higher than those with medium levels (21.1%).

Conclusion

The need for a stable employment strategy was demonstrated, since this has repercussions on personal competencies of physicians as well as training in developing those consequences, since they improve physicians' quality of care and leadership, especially women with temporary contracts or with medium or low self-esteem.

Social Networks, Emotions, and Education: Design and Validation of e-COM, a Scale of Socio-Emotional Interaction Competencies among Adolescents

Socio-emotional competencies play an essential role in personal development as they are associated with highly prosocial behavior and low aggressiveness. An individual who is online manages his/her emotions in a specific manner. Thus, it is highly relevant to analyze and evaluate online socio-emotional competencies. Until now, however, no instruments had been defined or developed for that purpose. This study’s objective was thus to design and validate a questionnaire for the evaluation of socio-emotional competencies in virtual contexts, and to analyze eventual differences according to gender and academic year. Using the model developed by Bisquerra and Pérez (2007) as a theoretical framework, the competencies posited therein were transferred to an online environment. The questionnaire was filled out by 888 adolescents ages 12 to 17 (48% males, M = 13.83 years old, DT = 1.27), all residents of Aragón, Spain. On the basis of their responses, structure analysis, validation, and reliability were carried out. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) yielded a five-dimensional structure with good fit and internal consistency. The five resulting dimensions evaluate (1) emotional e-conscience, (2) emotional e-autonomy, (3) emotional e-regulation, (4) e-self-control of impulsiveness, and (5) social e-competency. Differences among genders were observed in the categories of emotional e-conscience and social e-competency. Furthermore, the results of this study show that online emotional expression does not imply emotional competency. These results represent an advance in the field of emotional education.

Interpersonal Support, Emotional Intelligence and Family Function in Adolescence

BACKGROUND

During adolescence, although the peer group exerts a strong influence on how the individual thinks and feels and on personal social values, the family still exerts a sustaining and supporting role. This study analyzed the relationships established between family function, emotional intelligence and perceived interpersonal support in adolescence.

METHOD

The sample was made up of 1287 high school students aged 14 to 18 (M = 15.11; SD = 0.91) in the province of Almeria (Spain).

RESULTS

The results showed moderate correlations between the intrapersonal emotional intelligence dimension and perceived availability of support (advice or orientation), and between the mood dimension of emotional intelligence and the three interpersonal support dimensions (appraisal, belonging and tangible). In addition, significant positive correlations were found between family function and the intrapersonal and mood dimensions of emotional intelligence, with medium and large effect sizes, respectively. Apart from that, the data revealed that students who could count on a more functional family referred to high empathy and acceptance by others and greater support in material or financial matters, followed by those with moderate family function. In addition, students from homes with severely dysfunctional families perceived less available support. Finally, students who said they could count on strong family function also scored higher on the intrapersonal factor of emotional intelligence.

CONCLUSIONS

The implications of these findings for the development of emotional intelligence in early adolescence are discussed from the family context, considering the relationship between emotional intelligence and social support.