Comparison and Complementarity of Two Concepts of Trait Emotional Intelligence in Two Developmental Stages

• Main Authors: Lada Kaliská, Vladimír Salbot, Bilal Akbey
• Format: Article
• Language: ces
• Published: University of Ostrava 2018-06-01
• Series: Psychology and its Contexts
• Subjects: emotional intelligence; trait emotional intelligence; N.S. Schutte´s model; SEIS scale; K.V. Petrides´ model; TEIQue-SF; comparison; correlation; regression; high school students; university students
• Online Access: http://psychkont.osu.cz/fulltext/2018/2018_1_6_MS_Kaliska_Salbot_Akbey.pdf
• ISSN: 1803-9278; 1805-9023

The ever-lasting interest in the construct of intelligence has not weaken its research exploration for more than a century. Nowadays it is possible to identify more than 70 various intelligence definitions emphasizing the need for its deeper operationalization. At the end of the last century, the fundamental baseline of this construct has become the ability to reach the personal success in life arising from the self-awareness concept providing the starting point for new intelligence concept formation. Referring to the newly formed intelligence constructs, the most verified one is the concept of emotional intelligence (further on EI, Mayer, & Salovey, 1990). The current theoretical and empirical analysis of three various EI conceptualizations (such as cognitive-emotional ability, mixed models and trait models) provokes creation of various tools for their assessment. The article is aimed at deeper analysis of trait emotional intelligence conceptualization (EI) as a part of EI model construct operationalization. The trait EI theoretical and following empirical verification is based on estimating the relation between two trait EI models: N.S. Schutte´s model (1998) and her scale Schutte´s Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEIS) and K.V. Petrides´ model (2009) and his questionnaire Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF). Then there are, used two statistical procedures (difference and complementarity estimation) with two research samples (High school students: N=154, Mage=17.7 /SD=0.47/, 66% females and University students: N=138; Mage=21.52 /SD=1.81/, 77% females). The comparison analysis based on pair t-test (p<0.001) as well Cohen´s effect size (d?2.00) prove highly significant and meaningful differences between the global trait EI levels of both research samples separately in favor to higher global level of trait EI assessed by TEIQue-SF. The correlation analysis (0.66***?r?0.72***) as well the regression analysis (43%-52%, p<0.001) support the significant level of mutual complementarity of the constructs assessed by two trait EI instruments of both research samples. In both research samples the significant predictors (p<0.01) of global trait EI level assessed by SEIS scale were factors of well-being, emotionality and sociability from TEIQue-SF questionnaire that stated in significant relation with trait EI assessed by SEIS also while controlling for the other factors (0.24***?r?0.42***). We can conclude both models of trait EI seem to be compatible with certain differences determined by their theoretical conceptualization where Schutte´s SEIS scale is based on Mayer and Salovey´s EI model of emotional strategies. On the contrary, Petrides´ model arises from more precise, deeper and more complex analysis of various aspects related to emotion-related self-perceived abilities and behavioral dispositions. Our suggestion is to draw together various trait EI conceptualizations and create one complex trait EI model arising from the complex theoretical analysis operationalized by psychometrically valid and reliable instrument.