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Investigation of the construct of trait emotional intelligence in children

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Abstract

This paper discusses the construct of trait emotional intelligence (trait EI or trait emotional self-efficacy) with emphasis on measurement in children. The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Child Form (TEIQue-CF) is introduced and its development and theoretical background are briefly explained. It is shown in two independent studies that the TEIQue-CF has satisfactory levels of internal consistency (α = 0.76 and α = 0.73, respectively) and temporal stability [r = 0.79 and r (corrected) = 1.00]. Trait EI scores were generally unrelated to proxies of cognitive ability, as hypothesized in trait EI theory (Petrides et al. in Matthews et al. (eds) Emotional intelligence: knowns and unknowns—series in affective science. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 151–166). They also differentiated between pupils with unauthorized absences or exclusions from school and controls. Trait EI correlated positively with teacher-rated positive behavior and negatively with negative behavior (emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer problems, and hyperactivity).

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Notes

  1. General Certificate of Secondary Education tests (GCSEs) are normally sat by 15- to 18-year-old in UK schools and colleges. They are the principal means of assessing pupil attainment at the end of compulsory secondary education and entail a combination of external examination and coursework, with the balance towards the former. GCSEs are graded from A* to G (i.e., on an 8-point scale).

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Correspondence to K. V. Petrides.

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This research was partially supported by Grant SG-42593 from the British Academy and Grant SGS-33965 from the Nuffield Foundation (KVP).

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Mavroveli, S., Petrides, K.V., Shove, C. et al. Investigation of the construct of trait emotional intelligence in children. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 17, 516–526 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-008-0696-6

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