An Evaluation Study of Emotional Intelligence Structure according to the Ability and Traits Perspectives among University Students

Abstract

The study aimed to evaluate emotional intelligence (EI) models in Egyptian university students, focusing on the abilities and traits of 280 senior students at Suez Canal University. The researchers used descriptive and comparative causal approaches and used the BEIS-10 modified scale and the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-30) to test both the general factor perspective and the sub-factors. The results of the two-factor model revealed that the items of EI loaded on one single factor, while most of the traits model items loaded on two factors. This implies that ability serves as the core for emotional thinking, emphasizing the necessity of emotional self-efficacy in learners. From the perspective of sub-factors, there was coherence among the factors assessing self-emotions, evaluating others' emotions, and utilizing emotions in the ability model. However, the emotional regulation factor lost its items' distribution across the first and second factors, indicating that an individual's evaluation of others' emotions depends heavily on emotional experience and awareness.

Keywords

• emotional intelligence
• stressful situations
• the trait model of emotional intelligence