DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SCALE AND EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF MARITAL QUALITY

Abstract

The role of emotional intelligence in various domains has been supported through scientific studies and contemporary psychologists are working to promote this concept for better quality of life (Geher & Renstrom, 2004). The main objectives of the present research were to develop an indigenous self-report measure of the trait emotional intelligence, and to see its relationship with marital quality. The objectives of the research were achieved in four independent studies. The Scale of Emotional Intelligence ((SEI) was based on Bar-on model of social emotional intelligence (1997, 2000). In study 1 pool of 155 items was generated and 72 items were selected for factor analysis. The factorial validity of the scale was determined on a sample of 1547 individuals (857 males & 690 females) belonging to different cities of Pakistan. The 72 items were subjected to principal component analysis using varimax rotation method. The eigen values and scree plot provided evidence for the factor solution. A total of 56 items defining factors (viz., interpersonal skill, self-regard, assertiveness, emotional self-awareness, empathy, impulse control, flexibility, problem solving, stress tolerance, and optimism), that collectively accounted for 62.7% of variance were selected. The reliability estimate of alpha coefficient (α = .95), and item-total correlations ranging from (r = .139 to r = .79) supported the high internal consistency of the Scale of Emotional Intelligence. The present study also assessed the gender and age differences on the trait emotional intelligence and significant differences were found for gender and 5 age groups. Average gender based age norms were also developed. Convergent validity of the Scale of Emotional Intelligence was determined in study 2 by estimating correlation between SEI scores and Bar-On EQ-i scores and significantpositive correlation (r = .686, p< .01) was found. The convergent validity was further supplemented by correlating scores on SEI with peer rating and significant positive correlation (r = .631, p < .01) was found. The discriminant validity of the scale was determined in study 3 by finding correlation between scores on the Scale of Emotional Intelligence and Beck Depression Inventory (1993) for 30 diagnosed patients of depression and significant moderate negative correlation (r = -.50, p < .01) was yielded. In another independent study, the role of emotional intelligence as a predictor of marital quality was examined on a sample of 170 married partners. Marital quality was measured with Marital Relationship Questionnaire based on Burgess - Cottrell Marriage Adjustment Schedule (1936) and Conflict Resolution Questionnaire by McClellan (1993). Emotional intelligence explained significant amount of variance for marital relationship and conflict resolution (i.e., R2 = .485, F = 158.450, p < .000; & R2 = .558. F = 211.729, p < .000) consecutively. As role of factors of emotional intelligence concerned; assertiveness, empathy, interpersonal skill, optimism, stress tolerance, and impulse control appeared as salient predictors of marital quality. The results uphold SEI as a promising indigenous psychometric measure for emotional intelligence