effect of emotional intelligence in problem solving skills

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence (Incl. Quotes)

Can you manage those feelings without allowing them to swamp you?

Can you motivate yourself to get jobs done? Do you sense the emotions of others and respond effectively?

If you answered yes to these questions, it is likely that you have developed some or all of the skills that form the basis of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence ( EI ) forms the juncture at which cognition and emotion meet, it facilitates our capacity for resilience, motivation, empathy, reasoning, stress management, communication, and our ability to read and navigate a plethora of social situations and conflicts. EI matters and if cultivated affords one the opportunity to realize a more fulfilled and happy life.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will not only enhance your ability to understand and work with your emotions but will also give you the tools to foster the emotional intelligence of your clients, students or employees.

This Article Contains:

What is the importance of emotional intelligence, five categories of emotional intelligence (ei/eq), value and benefits of emotional intelligence.

Self Management, Self Regulation, and EQ

Resilience and EQ

Does emotional intelligence matter more than iq, is there a link between ei and job performance, how about emotional intelligence and motivation, using emotional intelligence to deal with stress, linking ei and decision-making, can emotional intelligence and success be related, goals and ei, how eq affects communication, why emotional intelligence matters for happiness.

6 Youtube Videos and TED Talks on Emotional Intelligence

21 Quotes on the Value of Emotional Intelligence

A take-home message.

The term ‘ Emotional Intelligence ’, first coined by psychologists Mayer and Salovey (1990), refers to one’s capacity to perceive, process and regulate emotional information accurately and effectively, both within oneself and in others and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions and to influence those of others.

Emotional intelligence can lead us on the path to a fulfilled and happy life by providing a framework through which to apply standards of intelligence to emotional responses and understand that these responses may be logically consistent or inconsistent with particular beliefs about emotion.

As the workplace evolves, so too does the body of research supporting that individuals (from interns to managers) with higher EI are better equipped to work cohesively within teams, deal with change more effectively, and manage stress – thus enabling them to more efficiently pursue business objectives.

Goleman (1995) recognized five distinct categories of skills which form the key characteristics of EI and proposed that, unlike one’s intelligence quotient (IQ), these categorical skills can be learned where absent and improved upon where present.

Thus, EI, unlike its relatively fixed cousin, IQ, is instead a dynamic aspect of one’s psyche and includes behavioral traits that, when worked upon, can yield significant benefits, from personal happiness and wellbeing to elevated success in a professional context.

Self-awareness is the first step toward introspective self-evaluation and enables one to identify behavioral and emotional aspects of our psychological makeup which we can then target for change.

Emotional self-awareness is also about recognizing what motivates you and, in turn, what brings you fulfillment.

Self-regulation: the ability to manage one’s negative or disruptive emotions, and to adapt to changes in circumstance. Those who are skilled in self-regulation excel in managing conflict, adapt well to change and are more likely to take responsibility.
Motivation: the ability to self-motivate, with a focus on achieving internal or self-gratification as opposed to external praise or reward. Individuals who are able to motivate themselves in this way have a tendency to be more committed and goal focused.
Empathy: the ability to recognize and understand how others are feeling and consider those feelings before responding in social situations. Empathy also allows an individual to understand the dynamics that influence relationships, both personal and in the workplace.
Social skills: the ability to manage the emotions of others through emotional understanding and using this to build rapport and connect with people through skills such as active listening, verbal and nonverbal communication.
Self-awareness: the ability to recognize and understand one’s own emotions and their impact on others.

Emotional intelligence has been shown to play a meaningful role in academic success, mental and physical health, as well as attainment in professional domains; the findings of Bar-On (1997) suggested that people with higher EI performed better than those with lower EI in life.

In the modern, agile workplace, there is an ever-increasing emphasis from employers on the importance of EI over academic qualifications.

The importance of EI should not go unappreciated; the ability to understand and manage your emotions is the first step in realizing your true potential. How can we achieve meaningful progress if we don’t recognize and acknowledge the point from where we’re starting? When checking directions on your sat-nav, a destination is useless unless we know the origin.

Whether it be connecting with others and improving interpersonal communication, achieving success in the workplace or social relationships, dealing with stress and improving motivation or refining decision-making skills – emotional intelligence plays a central role in realizing success in both personal and professional life.

The value and benefits of emotional intelligence are vast in terms of personal and professional success. It is a core competency in many vocations, can support the advancement towards academic and professional success, improve relationships, and boost communication skills, the list goes on.

Bar-On (1997) goes so far as to suggest that people with higher EI tend to perform better than those with lower EI in life overall, regardless of IQ. There has been much discussion regarding the benefits of teaching EI in schools , with an emphasis on the idea that emotionally intelligent children grow up to become emotionally intelligent adults.

Proficiency in EI is becoming a vital prerequisite in prolonged or intense areas of ‘emotional work’ such as nursing, social work, the service industry, and management roles. High EI improves the physical and psychological health of people and encourages academic and business performance (Bar-On & Parker, 2000).

Emotional intelligence is an integral part of forming and developing meaningful human relationships. Schutte et al (2001) found that, over a series of studies, there were significant links between high EI and more successful interpersonal relations.

Those participants who exhibited higher levels of EI also showed a greater propensity for empathic perspective taking, cooperation with others, developing affectionate and more satisfying relationships as well as greater social skills in general.

So far, we have focused on the social and psychological benefits of EI, it is important to note that self-awareness – the ability to manage emotions and stress – and the ability to solve personal, as well as interpersonal problems, are also significantly related to physical health.

Chronic stress and the prolonged negative effects which accompany it such as anger, depression, and anxiety can precipitate the onset and progression of hypertension, heart problems, and diabetes; increase susceptibility to viruses, and infections; delay healing of wounds and injuries; and exacerbate conditions such as arthritis and atherosclerosis (Bar-On, 2006, Black & Garbutt, 2002).

The value of EI is immense; developing emotional intelligence encourages many positive traits, from resilience to communication, motivation to stress management, all of which can be seen as conducive to effectively achieving personal, physical and occupational health, and success.

Undoubtedly you know how valuable it is to develop your emotional intelligence abilities, but have you ever wondered exactly why?

Research shows there are many benefits for those with high levels of emotional intelligence, including greater resilience, social skills and connection.

But how do you reach a stage where you can reap these benefits? What barriers stand in your way? How can you help your clients, friends, colleagues, students and even your children develop excellent EI skills?

For answers to all these questions and more, check out our Emotional Intelligence Masterclass© .

effect of emotional intelligence in problem solving skills

Self-Management, Self-Regulation, and EQ

While it’s commonly accepted that our emotions are driven by impulses over which we have little-to-no control, we do have the capacity for self-management and self-regulation ; the ability to manage – if not control – the resultant emotions and our reactions thereto.

Consider the calm and rational pilot despite the aircraft’s landing gear being jammed or the surgeon who carries on with their duties despite losing a patient.

This form of self-regulation builds on the basis of self-awareness and is an integral part of becoming emotionally intelligent by exercising the capacity to liberate ourselves from impulse-driven reaction (Goleman, 1995).

Self-management builds on this further and allows an individual to use knowledge about their emotions to better manage them in order to self-motivate and to create positive social interactions.

Leaders with an aptitude for self-regulation are far less likely to be aggressively confrontational and make snap decisions. Self-regulation and self-management do not pertain to the absence of anger; rather it’s about remaining in control of your emotions and not allowing your actions to be emotion-driven.

In instances of negative emotions such as anger, EI can help identify what you are feeling and determine the cause of the emotion through reflection and self-analysis allowing one to respond in a rational manner.

Self-regulation is critical in relation to other facets of EI and can be developed from early childhood, adolescence and throughout adulthood. Mastering self-management allows us the opportunity to open the door to the other beneficial aspects of EI while in the absence of self-regulation other competencies, such as effective communication and conflict management, are challenging.

The good news is that it’s never too late to embark on self-management and regulation training; the potential benefits are numerous and should not be underestimated.

The skills enabled through the development of self-regulation can aid success for (but by no means limited to) counselors, psychotherapists, small business owners, managers, and executives.

Those with stronger skills in this area are less likely to become angry or exhibit stress while being more likely to respond calmly to negative environments, harness personal needs in order to achieve goals and remain motivated.

Emotional intelligence is undoubtedly a valuable tool to utilize in the face of adversity; it has the potential to enhance not only leadership abilities and teamwork effectiveness but also personal resilience.

Focusing on the impact of EI on one’s resilience, that is, one’s ability to cope with stressful conditions, research suggests that those who display higher levels of emotional intelligence are less likely to succumb to the negative impacts of stressors.

In the context of a leadership role, one might expect increased responsibility to coincide with elevated potential stressors, highlighting the importance of strong EI for those in leadership or management positions.

An investigation into the relationship between emotional intelligence and the stress process found that participants who displayed higher levels of EI were less likely to be negatively impacted by the presence of stressors.

Participants completed an ability-based test of EI before rating the subjectively perceived threat level posed by two stressors, they then self-reported their emotional reaction to said stressors and were also subjected to physiological stress-response tests in order to assess their response.

In summary, the findings suggested that “ EI facets were related to lower threat appraisals, more modest declines in positive affect, less negative affect and challenge physiological responses to stress… This study provides predictive validity that EI facilitates stress resilience, ” (Schneider, Lyons & Khazon, 2013, pp 909).

Further research suggested a link between higher emotional intelligence, resilience and the propensity for depressive behaviors. In an examination of medical professionals – an occupation with a relatively high ‘burnout’ rate – Olson & Matan (2015) found a positive correlation between EI and resilience as well as a negative correlation between resilience, mindfulness, and self-compassion with the ‘burnout’ rate.

In a nutshell, those with higher levels of emotional intelligence also displayed greater resilience and were less likely to ‘burnout’ or succumb to depression.

These results build on previous research which found EI scores were positively correlated with psychological wellbeing while being negatively correlated with depression and burnout. Given the dynamic nature of EI, the study highlighted the potential ability to reduce one’s susceptibility to depression by way of interventions to increase EI (Lin, Liebert, Tran, Lau, & Salles 2016).

Interestingly, EI is strongly correlated with individual advancement and performance, with evidence suggesting a significant link between one’s resilience and one’s motivation to achieve (Magnano, Craparo & Paolillo, 2016).

Furthermore, it is suggested that resilience plays a mediational role between EI and self-motivated achievement. In other words, emotional intelligence is a prerequisite for resilience, and resilience can lead to greater motivation. Resilience has an underlying perseverance component that motivates endurance in the face of obstacles (Luthans, Avey & Avolio, 2010).

When psychologists began to discuss intelligence, the focus was very much on cognitive aspects relating to memory and problem-solving.

While there had been references to intelligence as having “non-intellective”, as well as “intellective” elements such as affective, personal, and social factors (Wechsler, 1943), historically, the concepts of emotion and intelligence, have been regarded as being mutually exclusive. How can one be intelligent about the emotional aspects of life when emotions can hinder individuals from achieving their goals? (Lloyd, 1979).

In reality, high IQ is no guarantee of success. How successful we are in life is determined by both emotional intelligence and by IQ, though intellect works best when it’s accompanied by high emotional intelligence.

Goleman (1995, 2011) suggests that it is not simply a case of IQ versus EI, instead, both have considerable value. Where IQ tells us the level of cognitive complexity a person can achieve and may to some degree predetermine levels of academic achievement, EI tells us which individuals will make the best leaders within top management positions, for example.

IQ has limited connections to both work and life success. Snarey & Vaillant (1985) suggested it is actually less of a predictor of how well we will do in life than our ability to handle frustration, control emotions, and get along with other people – characteristics not only accounted for but also learnable under current EI theory .

Today, standards of intelligence are still commonly applied to cognitive performance. The misconception that IQ alone is the predictor of success is still very real.

In reality, IQ contributes to around 20% of the factors that determine life success – we all know someone (or perhaps are that person) who has a high IQ yet struggles to do ‘well’. So what accounts for the other 80%? Outwith factors such as social class and plain old luck, Goleman (1995) argued that life success is influenced more by an individual’s ability to engage the 5 aspects of EI detailed above.

While there is much discussion regarding the capability of individuals to improve IQ scores, EI can be developed and refined over time with the condition – just like any skill – that it is given the necessary focus and effort to do so. Many would argue that the ability to connect with and understand others is a more powerful skill to possess than cognitive intellect alone.

In the words of American civil rights activist, Maya Angelou:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

The increasing awareness of emotional intelligence in management-focused literature and leadership training suggests the link between emotional intelligence and job performance not only exists but has value in myriad areas.

The workplace represents a distinct social community, separate from our personal lives, in which there is a growing appreciation that higher EI allows a person to understand themselves and others better, communicate more effectively, and cope with challenging situations.

Utilizing and developing emotional intelligence in the workplace can significantly improve the personal and social capabilities of individuals within that workplace.

EI is about managing emotions in order to improve job performance and, in turn, helping people stay calm and to think logically in order to establish good relationships and achieve goals. There is an undeniable relationship between EI and the way senior executives manage their employees – managers with higher emotional intelligence have the tools at their disposal to not only manage stress but to also recognize and address stress in others.

If we think of emotional intelligence in terms of managing stress and building relationships, the link between emotional intelligence skills and job performance is clear, with stress management positively impacting job commitment and satisfaction.

It is also important to mention that EI does not only apply at management level, likewise, employees lower down the business hierarchy with sophisticated emotional intelligence skills have the desire and ability to establish and maintain high-quality relationships in the workplace (Lopes, Salovey, & Straus, 2003).

Additionally, individuals with high EI are better equipped to effectively manage conflicts and, in turn, sustain relationships within the workplace when compared to those with low to moderate levels of EI.

Increasingly, organizations are recognizing the value of employees who exhibit the skills to cope with change and respond accordingly. EI is an important factor in job performance both on an individual level and a group level. In fact, as an individual moves up an organizational hierarchy, the positive effect of emotional intelligence on coping with situations and doing tasks in effective ways increases (Moghadam, Tehrani & Amin, 2011).

Emotional intelligence matters for motivation, and motivation matters for success. Whether it’s in relation to work, personal goals or health, the emotionally intelligent individual understands the deeper meaning of their aspirations and the self-motivation skills required to achieve them.

Goleman (1995) identified four elements that make up motivation: our personal drive to improve, our commitment to the goals we set for ourselves, our readiness to act on opportunities that present themselves to us and our resilience.

Magnano et al (2016) assert that motivation is the basic psychological process we use to stimulate ourselves into action to achieve a desired outcome. Whether it’s picking up the remote to change the TV channel or dedicating hundreds of hours to delivering a project, without motivation we’d be unable to act.

Motivation arouses, energizes, directs and sustains behavior and performance. Intrinsic motivation, that is, motivation that comes from within, pushes us to achieve our full potential. An Emotionally Intelligent individual not only possesses the skills for self-motivation but also the skills required to motivate others, a useful talent to have especially in management positions.

While self-motivation is central to achieving one’s goals, emotionally intelligent leaders within a business can also impact employee motivation. The capacity to recognize the emotions and, in turn, the concerns of others is an invaluable skill to have at your disposal in terms of realizing the most effective ways to motivate teams and individuals.

In a recent study, the EI levels of first-year medical undergraduates were found to be positively related to self-motivation to study medicine and satisfaction with choosing to study medicine (Edussuriya, Marambe, Tennakoon, Rathnayake, Premaratne, Ubhayasiri, & Wickramasinghe, 2018).

A study of senior managers with high EI employed in public sector organizations found that EI augments positive work attitudes, altruistic behavior, and work outcomes. It seems, unsurprisingly, that happy employees are motivated employees.

The ability to better cope with stress and anxiety, for example, is also a useful EI tool in terms of motivation – if one can recognize the emotions that may have a negative impact on motivation, they can be addressed and managed effectively (Carmeli, 2003).

We all endure stressful days, it’s completely normal and completely manageable if you have the right skills at your disposal. An individual with high Emotional Intelligence has sufficient self-awareness to recognize negative feelings and respond accordingly to prevent escalation. Uncontrolled and misunderstood emotions can exacerbate our vulnerability to other mental health issues, like stress, anxiety, and depression.

The skills associated with emotional intelligence can effectively help individuals deal with negative emotional states like stress and promote more positive emotions in its place. Failure to address and manage stress can lead to a further deterioration of one’s mental state and impact our physical health in turn.

Research into the social, psychological and medical components of stress emphasizes the importance of dealing with negative emotions to effectively cope with stress and in turn, reduce the potential for negative psychological and physical health outcomes.

Ganster & Schaubroeck (1991) consider our working and professional environment as the primary source of the stress, going on to suggest the ability to effectively recognize and deal with emotions and emotional information in the workplace is a vital tool in preventing negative stress and coping with occupational stress.

Emotional intelligence allows us to effectively cope with stress. Furthermore, emotionally intelligent people also have the ability to initially evaluate situations as less stressful.

While this has the obvious effect of lessening the adverse impact thereof, it also results in greater life satisfaction and happiness. Conversely, a deficit in EI and self‐regulation can lead to lower subjective wellbeing and a relatively exaggerated response to stressors.

The intelligent use of emotions is a fundamental mechanism in psychological adaptation and wellbeing. Individuals with higher EI have been found to report lower levels of stress and higher levels of happiness, indicating that the ability to regulate perceived stress directly impacts satisfaction (Ruiz‐Aranda, Extremera & Pineda‐Galán, 2014).

The role of emotional intelligence in perceiving occupational stress and preventing employees of human services from negative health outcomes is essential (Oginska-Bulk, 2005).

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Emotional Intelligence is closely related to personal and professional development, it impacts on more than how we manage our behavior and navigate social complexities, it also affects how we make decisions.

Having an authentic understanding of the emotions we feel and why we are feeling them can have a huge impact on our decision-making abilities, if we can’t look at our emotions objectively how can we avoid making misguided decisions based on them?

Superior emotional intelligence is an important element in the prevention of decision making based on emotional biases, whereas lower EI can create anxiety and lead to poor decisions. It’s not about removing emotions completely from the decision-making process, rather it’s about recognizing the emotions that are unrelated to the problem and not allowing them to be influential to the final result.

Negative emotions can impede problem-solving and decision making both in the workplace and personal circumstances. The ability to recognize emotions that are superfluous to forming a rational decision and having the capacity to effectively disregard said emotions, negating their impact on the final outcome, holds obvious benefits for decision-making processes.

Through a series of questions and observations with a focus on improving EI awareness and using EI skills to enhance the decision-making process, Hess & Bacigalupo (2011) found that organizations and individuals benefitted from the practical application of EI in decision-making scenarios.

The observations suggest EI training is an effective strategy to introduce when developing decision-making skills and aids in understanding the potential consequences of bad decision making.

Understanding the causes and consequences of emotions allows an individual to both manage the feeling and make an objective decision. Imagine you have a disagreement with your partner and go to work angry and a little stressed out, later that day you dismiss a proposal from a colleague without really paying attention to what they’re suggesting – you’re just not in the mood.

This form of emotional interference can be detrimental to the decision-making process, those with more developed EI can identify and manage this kind of emotional interference and avoid emotionally-driven decisions.

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Much like happiness, ask someone to define success and you will probably get more than one answer. Does your career make you successful? Your intelligence? How much money you have? Finding contentment and happiness? Depending on who you ask, it can be anything!

What is clear is that no matter your definition of success, emotional intelligence can play a vital role in achieving it.

As addressed, it isn’t always the most intelligent people who achieve the greatest success. IQ alone is not enough to excel in life. You can be the most intelligent person in the room, but if you don’t have EI do you have the skills to quieten negative thoughts or the mental fortitude to manage stress? Goleman (1995) described EI as being powerful and, at times, more powerful than IQ in predicting success in life.

It’s your Emotional Intelligence that really helps you achieve your goals and attain greater levels of success, developing EI can greatly influence our success by contributing to increased morale, motivation and greater co-operation (Strickland, 2000).

In the workplace, managers who consistently outperform their peers not only have technical knowledge and experience, but more importantly, they utilize the strategies associated with EI to manage conflict, reduce stress and as a result, improve their success.

There is growing evidence that the range of abilities that constitute what is now commonly known as ’emotional intelligence’ play a key role in determining success – both in one’s personal life and in the workplace – with real-life applications extending to parenting, relationships, businesses, medical professionals, service workers and so many more.

Emotional intelligence enables one to manage emotions in anxiety-provoking situations, such as taking exams at school or university and also has positive associations with success in personal relationships and social functioning.

Success within social relationships can be achieved by using EI competencies to detect others’ emotional states, adopt others’ perspectives, enhance communication, and regulate behavior.

If we think of goals as an aim or desired result, we can see how emotional intelligence skills can help one to achieve personal goals and when exercised correctly by leaders and managers, can also help to drive change and progress in the workplace.

The facets of EI are interwoven, to achieve self-actualization, we must first achieve motivation, in order to achieve motivation we must also be happy in what we are doing. Without happiness, it is a challenge to reach the levels of motivation required to achieve our goals. In essence, if we are not motivated how can we expect to achieve our goals?

There is a wealth of management literature emphasizing the importance of utilizing EI in relation to success and performance, with a focus on how individuals with high EI perform better in all aspects of a management role.

The average level of Emotional Intelligence of team members is reflected by the team process effectiveness and in team goal focus, conversely teams with lower EI skills performed at a lower level of goal achievement. (Jordana, Ashkanasyb, Härtelb, & Hooperb, 2007)

In order to produce our best and achieve our goals, we need positive self-regard, heightened emotional self-awareness, effective problem solving and decision-making skills. We must understand clearly what our goals are, and be motivated to accomplish all we can.

Our ability to be aware of and understand our own emotions can aid our awareness and understanding of the feelings of others.

This sensitivity, or lack thereof, impacts our communication capabilities in both personal and work life.

If we consider communication in the workplace, and more specifically, conflict resolution in the workplace, individuals with higher emotional intelligence are more likely to approach conflict resolution in a collaborative manner, working together with others in order to effectively reach a mutually acceptable outcome.

Relationships in the workplace are affected by how we manage our own emotions and our understanding of the emotions of those around us.

The ability to identify, manage, and understand emotions help us communicate without resorting to confrontation. A person with high EI is better equipped to manage conflict and build meaningful relationships given their elevated capacity to understand, and therefore address, the needs of those with whom they engage. (Lopez, 2005).

Emotional intelligence has unquestionably received greater attention in recent years as a driver of effective communication within teams, including the growing area of virtual teams (also known as remote or geographically dispersed teams). If we examine EQ as a predictor of virtual team success, the results support that not only is EQ a driver of team viability, but also positively impacts the quality of communication (De Mio, 2002).

The process of successful communication and, in terms of conflict, successful negotiation are closely linked to high levels of EQ. Where those with low levels of EQ may react defensively in stressful situations and escalate conflict, individuals with higher emotional intelligence have the skills available at their disposal to communicate effectively without resorting to confrontation or escalating tension.

Happiness seems like a simple enough concept, but have you ever tried to define it? Try now – what is happiness? It is more difficult than it seems because it means something different to each of us. While it is true that happiness means distinctly different things to different people, what is clear is that emotional intelligence really does matter for happiness irrespective of your interpretation.

EI facilitators such as happiness contribute to our self-actualization and self-actualization, in turn, contributes to our happiness in a positive feedback loop. Happiness, according to Wechsler (1943), is the key factor that has a positive impact on intelligent behavior.

Studies examining the link between EI and a range of interpersonal relations found that participants with higher EQ scores had higher scores for empathic perspective taking, self-monitoring and social skills, cooperation with partners, relationship satisfaction, and more affectionate relationships. (Schutte, Malouff, Bobik, Coston, Greeson, Jedlicka, Rhodes, & Wendorf, 2001).

By developing the skills for EI one can reduce stress, which consequently has a positive impact on wellbeing and happiness. In addition to its motivational value, happiness monitors one’s immediate wellbeing and interjects positive mood in the way individuals cope with daily demands, challenges, and pressures.

It is this positivity that encourages the emotional energy required to increase one’s motivational level to get things done, in short, it helps individuals to achieve what they want to achieve and tells them how well they are doing (Bar-On, 2001).

Research conducted by Furnham (2003) indicated that a large amount of the variance found in happiness and wellbeing to be determined by people’s emotion-related self-perceptions and dispositions such as the ability to regulate emotions, relationship skills, and social competence.

While these EI skills are not the sole contributor to levels of happiness, it is important to recognize their impact, with over 50% of the total variances in happiness being attributed to emotional intelligence competencies.

From Aristotle to Freud, the emphasis on the optimization of happiness has been thoroughly discussed. To augment happiness one is often required to use more sophisticated behavioral patterns such as self-regulation to subdue instant pleasure motivations.

Contemporary psychological research continues to recognize the need for this form of optimization. Mischel (1974) explicitly taught children how to delay immediate pleasures for greater long-term gain. The ability to delay gratification is important in many aspects of cognitive development given the capacity for such delays encourages an increase in cognitive competence and social maturity.

17 Exercises To Develop Emotional Intelligence

These 17 Emotional Intelligence Exercises [PDF] will help others strengthen their relationships, lower stress, and enhance their wellbeing through improved EQ.

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6 YouTube Videos and TED Talks on Emotional Intelligence

We recommend watching the following videos for more insight into Emotional Intelligence.

The Power of Emotional Intelligence – Travis Bradberry

You aren’t at the mercy of your emotions – your brain creates them – Lisa Feldman Barrett

6 Steps to Improve Your Emotional Intelligence – Ramona Hacker

Learning Human Values Via Emotional Intelligence – Ruby Bakshi Khurdi

Your Forensic Mirror: Applying Emotional Intelligence To Achieve Success – Paula Clarke

The People Currency: Practicing Emotional Intelligence – Jason Bridges

See also: 15 Most Valuable Emotional Intelligence TED Talks on YouTube .

“Emotional intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80 percent of the “success” in our lives.”

Joshua Freedman

“If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.”

Daniel Goleman

Maya Angelou

“Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody’s power, that is not easy.”

“Emotional intelligent people use self-awareness to their advantage to assess a situation, get perspective, listen without judgment, process, and hold back from reacting head on. At times, it means the decision to sit on your decision. By thinking over your situation rationally, without drama, you’ll eventually arrive at other, more sane conclusions.”

Marcel Schwantes

“Never stop because you are afraid – you are never so likely to be wrong.”

Fridtjof Nansen

“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”

Marshall B. Rosenberg

“What really matters for success, character, happiness and life long achievements is a definite set of emotional skills – your EQ — not just purely cognitive abilities that are measured by conventional IQ tests.”

“Whatever is begun in anger, ends in shame.”

Benjamin Franklin

“If you are interested in emotions, learning about them will satisfy your curiosity. If you depend upon emotional knowledge in your job, learning more about emotions would likely help.”

“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”

Nelson Mandela

“When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion.”

Dale Carnegie

“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head – it is the unique intersection of both.”

David Caruso

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”

“It takes something more than intelligence to act intelligently.”

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“No doubt emotional intelligence is more rare than book smarts, but my experience says it is actually more important in the making of a leader. You just can’t ignore it.”

“Emotional intelligence is what humans are good at and that’s not a sideshow. That’s the cutting edge of human intelligence.”

Ray Kurzweil

“Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, connection, and influence.”

Robert K. Cooper

“The strength of character and emotional intelligence to face your failures and learn from them are at the core of success.”

Robert Kiyosaki

“Surround yourself with amazingly intelligent men and women. The people I work with not only are smarter than I am, possessing both intellectual and emotional intelligence, but also share my determination to succeed. I will not make an important decision without them.”

George Steinbrenner

“What I’ve come to realize is that emotional intelligence was the only way I knew how to lead, and is, in my option, the only way to inspire real change.”

Kevin Allen

Find more emotional intelligence quotes here .

Emotional Intelligence is important, the value and benefits of developing your EQ are extensive and in many areas massively under-utilised. Emotional intelligence is the gateway to living a more fulfilled and happy life, and here’s why:

Emotional intelligence allows you to understand and manage your emotions in order to self-motivate and to create positive social interactions; it’s the first step in realizing your true potential.
The value and benefits of EI are vast in terms of personal, academic, and professional success.
Individuals with higher levels of emotional intelligence are less likely to succumb to the negative impacts of stressors, while effectively help individuals deal with negative emotions and promote more positive emotions in its place.
Intellect works best when it’s accompanied by high emotional intelligence.
Utilizing and developing emotional intelligence in the workplace can greatly improve both job performance and the social capabilities of individuals within that workplace.
Emotional Intelligence is a useful skill to prevent making decisions based on emotional biases.
The process of successful communication and negotiation are closely linked to high levels of EQ.
Key EI facilitators such as happiness contribute to our self-actualization.

Thanks for reading! I hope you have enjoyed this journey into the world of emotional intelligence and the important role it plays in achieving personal, physical and occupational success.

For further reading:

13 Emotional Intelligence Activities & Exercises
26 Best Emotional Intelligence Books (Reviews + Summaries)
The Emotion Wheel: What is It and How to Use it? [+PDF]

We hope you found this article useful. Don’t forget to download our three Emotional Intelligence Exercises for free .

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Emotional Intelligence

What Do We Really Know About Emotional Intelligence?

New research shows that people are pretty good at faking their eq scores..

Posted July 9, 2024 | Reviewed by Michelle Quirk

Emotional intelligence is a popular concept, shown in prior research to predict various life skills.
A new study shows the extent to which people will fake a high EQ when the stakes are high.
By being brutally honest, we can more clearly identify where there’s room for growth.

You are almost certainly familiar with the idea of emotional intelligence , also called “EQ” (like “IQ”), particularly the claims that it is a harbinger of life success. Developed as an alternative to traditional IQ scores, EQ is intended to reflect how well people know themselves, know others, and are able to regulate their emotions, particularly when placed under stress .

If you’re high in EQ, so the claims go, you’ll succeed in life, and your EQ score will matter more than whatever your “book smarts” may be. Examples abound of people who have those book smarts and fail miserably in the real world and the converse, those who didn’t do well at all in school but are massive successes.

With all of the claims of EQ’s value, it might surprise you to know that psychology may actually not know all that much about the very essence of EQ. The only way to find out how much EQ people have is to give them a test. That test, most likely, is based on self-report. All self-report measures are subject to faking, as test-takers try to present as favorable an image as possible to researchers, if not themselves. Couldn’t this be true of EQ?

The Massive Self-Report Bias in Emotional Intelligence

According to University of Sydney’s Sarah A. Walker and Carolyn MacCann (2024), emotional intelligence —or what they refer to as “EI”—“is widely used in selection processes for education and employment.” But there is also a slight hint emerging from prior studies that test-takers can “fake good” on self-reports of EI, a likelihood even more probable when an EI test score will have a bearing on a person’s life.

It turns out that the “fake good” problem isn’t true only for self-report. Asking someone else to report on a person’s EI, or what’s called an “informant” rating, could also produce biased scores. This becomes very problematic if a company bases its hiring decisions on these supposedly objective reports.

Who would such an informant be, and why would they distort the truth? It’s possible that someone seeking a position for employment or acceptance into an educational program would ask a former supervisor or educator to provide this form of personal reference. The situation would be even worse if the informant is a family member or friend. These individuals, wanting to help, are willing to gloss over some of the rougher edges of the applicant’s personality .

Oddly enough, it’s possible that informants are actually less truthful than test-takers themselves. Called “ friendship bias ” or “ halo effect ,” this type of faking was already demonstrated in prior research on the so-called Dark Triad traits as well as all of the Five Factor traits. When staring at a personality test, an individual may be willing to dig down deep and reveal some unpleasant truths, particularly if there are no ramifications of doing so. Feelings of loyalty or affection may cause the rose-colored glasses to come out for an informant.

Are Informants Just as Bad?

One way that researchers estimate self-report bias is by asking people to take a questionnaire measure of EI under the condition of total honesty versus the condition of faking good. The U. Sydney researchers decided to take the same approach to measuring informant bias with their EI measure. Their 232 online participants (18–72 years old, average 26 years) and 151 students (average age 20 years) completed the 30-item Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF) under one of the four combinations of self/informant, fake good/honest.

You can put yourself in the place of the participants by rating yourself or another person, honestly or by faking good on these items (using a 1-7 agree-disagree scale). The informant questions should be worded in terms of the person you’re rating:

Emotionality: Expressing my emotions with words is not a problem for me.
Sociability: I can deal effectively with people.
Self-control : I’m usually able to control my emotions when I want to.
Well-being : I feel that I have a number of good qualities.

The specific instructions participants received for the fake good conditions presented the scenario in which the ratings would be used for a hypothetical job selection process.

Sadly, the findings confirmed the prediction that the job selection instructions prompted greater faking than the being honest condition, both for self and informants. As the authors concluded: “The magnitude of faking on EI was substantial and consistent with past EI faking studies.” Informants faked just as much as did people completing the questionnaire with reference to themselves. The huge companies using EI assessments based on informant ratings, such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Australian Government Defence Force, and the U.S. Air Force, are all in trouble, according to the authors.

The upshot of all of this is not, according to the authors, that all EI questionnaire measures (or personality measures, for that matter) should be scrapped. Instead, assessments of emotional intelligence when the stakes are high should be conducted using multimethod approaches. One such method could be what’s called experience sampling, in which people complete brief ratings several times throughout the day for multiday periods. Another is to provide people with scenario-based tests. It’s one thing to say, “I can deal effectively with people” and another to decide on which of several strategies would work best in helping a distraught co-worker in a hypothetical interpersonal problem.

Can We Ever Trust EQ Ratings Again?

If you’re in an official position in which an EQ rating will make a difference in whom you decide to bring on board, these findings are indeed unsettling. However, if there are no particular consequences associated with the way you judge EQ in others, or yourself, the findings suggest that it’s important to try to maintain your objectivity. There’s also nothing wrong with having an EQ that is not completely up to snuff. The very premise of EQ is based on the assumption that some people have this as a quality and some people do not. You gain nothing by pretending that you easily key into other people’s emotions when, in fact, you just cannot read the room all that well.

It’s also easier to grow in a quality when you’re honest about where you, or another person, stand on it. There is no room for improvement if you’re giving yourself, or someone else, an exaggeratedly high rating.

To sum up , the U. Sydney findings shed a very harsh light on EQ’s possible flaws both as a self-assessment and as a screening tool. Finding out who has EQ and who has some work to do will ultimately provide a more fulfilling pathway to developing this desirable personal strength.

Walker, S. A., & MacCann, C. (2024). Faking good on self-reports versus informant-reports of emotional intelligence. Assessment , 31 (5), 1011–1019. doi:10.1177/10731911231203960

Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D. , is a Professor Emerita of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her latest book is The Search for Fulfillment.

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Effects of problem-solving skill training on emotional intelligence of nursing students: An experimental study

Affiliations.

1 Department of Nursing, Borujen Nursing School, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
2 Department of Medical and Surgical, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
3 Prehospital Emergency Care, Disaster and Emergency Medical Management Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
4 Department of Infection Control, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
PMID: 30693293
PMCID: PMC6332654
DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_50_18

Background: Nursing students are generally trained to acquire the knowledge, skills, and approaches required for solving problems and contradictions in life and at work. In fact, problem-solving skills are the core of effective nursing activities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of problem-solving training on the promotion of emotional intelligence in nursing students.

Materials and methods: This interventional case-control study used a pretest-posttest design. All senior nursing students ( n = 43) attending the seventh semester of their undergraduate studies at Hazrat Fatemeh School of Nursing and Midwifery of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences were recruited in the present study. The participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group ( n = 20) or the control group ( n = 23). The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software version 16.

Results: While the mean standardized scores of Emotional Quotient Inventory of the two groups were not significantly different before the intervention, the scores were significantly higher in the intervention group both immediately and 2 months after the intervention. Comparison of the standardized emotional intelligence scores revealed the intervention group to have significantly higher mean scores immediately and 2 months after the intervention compared to baseline scores (105.87 ± 9.82 and 109.44 ± 9.56 vs. 101.22 ± 10.93; P < 0.001). Such significant differences were absent in the control group.

Conclusion: Using the results of this research in nursing education, it is possible to improve the level of nurses' knowledge and personal skills and to increase the level of services and increase the satisfaction of the clients.

Keywords: Education; emotional intelligence; nursing; problem-solving.

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Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Mia Belle Frothingham

Author, Researcher, Science Communicator

BA with minors in Psychology and Biology, MRes University of Edinburgh

Mia Belle Frothingham is a Harvard University graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Sciences with minors in biology and psychology

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Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to perceive, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and relationships. It involves being aware of emotions in oneself and others and using this awareness to guide thinking and behavior. Emotionally intelligent individuals can motivate themselves, read social cues, and build strong relationships

Some researchers propose that emotional intelligence can be learned and strengthened, while others argue it is an inborn characteristic.

The ability to express and manage emotions is essential, but so is the ability to understand, diagnose, and react to the emotions of others. Imagine a world in which one could not understand when a friend felt sad or a classmate was angry.

Brain and heart on a wooden balance scale.

Why is Emotional Intelligence Critical?

Emotional Intelligence is the “ability to monitor one’s own and other people’s emotions, to discriminate between different emotions and label them appropriately, and to use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior” (Salovey and Mayer, 1990).

Having a higher level of emotional intelligence allows one to empathize with others, communicate effectively, and be both self and socially aware. How people respond to themselves and others impacts all types of environments.

Living in this world signifies interacting with many diverse kinds of individuals and constant change with life-changing surprises.

Being emotionally intelligent is key to how one reacts to what life throws. It is furthermore a fundamental element of compassion and comprehending the deeper reasons behind other people’s actions.

It is not the most intelligent people who are the most prosperous or the most fulfilled in life. Many people are academically genius and yet are socially incompetent and unsuccessful in their careers or their intimate relationships.

Intellectual ability or intelligence quotient (IQ) is not enough on its own to achieve success in life. Undoubtedly, IQ can help one get into university, but your Emotional Intelligence (EI) will help one manage stress and emotions when facing final exams.

IQ and EI exist in tandem and are most influential when they build off one another.

Emotional intelligence is also valuable for leaders who set the tone of their organization. If leaders lack emotional intelligence , it could have more far-reaching consequences, resulting in lower worker engagement and a higher turnover rate.

While one might excel at one’s job technically, if one cannot effectively communicate with one’s team or collaborate with others, those specialized skills will get neglected.

By mastering emotional intelligence, one can positively impact anywhere and continue to advance one’s position and career in life. EI is vital when dealing with stressful situations like confrontation, change, and obstacles.

Emotional intelligence helps one build stronger relationships, succeed at work or school, and achieve one’s career and personal goals, as well as reduce group stress, defuse conflict, and enhance job satisfaction.

It can also help connect with one’s inner feelings, turn purpose into action, and make informed decisions about what matters most to oneself.

During these times, it is essential to remember to practice kindness, and being in touch with our emotions can help us do just that.

Examples of Emotional Intelligence

How does one become emotionally intelligent? Below we will discuss what one can do to learn to improve the skills that are behind emotional intelligence (EI).

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to recognize the meanings of emotions and to reason and problem-solve based on them (Mayer, Caruso, & Salovey, 1999).

By working on and improving these skills, one can become more emotionally intelligent and, therefore, more successful!

Emotional Awareness and Understanding

Self-awareness, or the ability to recognize and comprehend one’s own emotions, is a vital emotional intelligence skill. Beyond acknowledging one’s feelings, however, is being conscious of the effect of one’s actions, moods, and emotions on other people.

According to research by Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist, 95% of individuals believe they are self-aware. Still, only 10 to 15 percent genuinely are, which can cause problems for the people one interacts with.

Being with people who are not self-aware can be frustrating and lead to increased stress and decreased encouragement.

To become self-aware, one must be capable of monitoring one’s emotions while recognizing different emotional reactions and correctly identifying each distinct emotion.

Self-aware individuals also can recognize the connections between the things they feel and how they act.

These individuals also acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses, are open to new data and experiences, and learn from their exchanges with others.

Furthermore, people who maintain self-awareness have a fine sense of humor, are confident in themselves and their capabilities, and know how others perceive them.

Here are some tips on improving one’s self-awareness:

Ask for constructive feedback from others.

Keep a journal of one’s thoughts and feelings.

Practice mindfulness – try meditating.

Pay careful attention to one’s thoughts and emotions.

Pursue one’s passions and do what makes one happy.

Learn new skills and set goals for oneself.

Reflect on one’s experiences and be grateful.

Use positive self-talk daily.

Work on building a growth mindset.

Emotional Self Regulation (Managing Emotions)

In addition to being aware of one’s own emotions and the impact one has on others, emotional intelligence requires one to regulate and manage one’s emotions .

This does not mean taking emotions out of sight and essentially “locking” them away, hence hiding one’s true feelings. It just means waiting for the right time and place to express them. Self-regulation is all about communicating one’s emotions appropriately in context. A reaction tends to be involuntary.

The more in tune one is with one’s emotional intelligence, the easier one can transition from an instant reaction to a well-thought-out response. It is crucial to remember to pause, breathe, compose oneself, and do what it takes to manage one’s emotions.

This could mean anything to oneself, like taking a walk or talking to a friend, so that one can more appropriately and intentionally respond to tension and adversity.

Those proficient in self-regulation tend to be flexible and acclimate well to change. They are also suitable for handling conflict and diffusing uncomfortable or difficult situations.

People with healthy self-regulation skills also tend to have heightened conscientiousness. They reflect on how they influence others and take accountability for their actions.

Here are some tips on improving one’s self-regulation:

Look at challenges as opportunities.

Be mindful of thoughts and feelings.

Build distress and anxiety tolerance skills.

Work on accepting reflections and emotions.

Find ways to manage difficult emotions.

Practice communication and social skills.

Recognize that one has a choice in how one responds.

Use cognitive reframing to change emotional responses and thought patterns.

Social Empathy (Perceiving Emotions)

Empathy , or the capability to comprehend how other people are feeling, is crucial to perfecting emotional intelligence.

However, it involves more than just being able to identify the emotional states of others. It also affects one’s responses to people based on this knowledge.

How does one respond when one senses someone is feeling sad or hopeless? One might treat them with extra care and consideration, or one might make a push to lift their mood.

Being empathetic also allows one to understand the authority dynamics that frequently influence social relationships, especially in the workplace.

This is essential for guiding one’s daily interactions with various people. In fact, it is found that empathy ranks as the number one leadership skill.

Leaders proficient in empathy perform more than 40% higher in coaching, engaging others, and decision-making. In a different study, researchers found that leaders who show more empathy toward their co-workers and constructive criticism are viewed as better performers by their supervisors.

Those competent in this element can recognize who maintains power in different relationships. They also understand how these forces impact feelings and behaviors. Because of this, they can accurately analyze different situations that hinge on such power dynamics.

Here are some tips on improving social empathy:

Be willing to share emotions.

Listen to other people.

Practice meditation.

Engage in a purpose like a community project.

Meet and talk to new people.

Try to imagine yourself in someone else’s place.

Social Skills (Using Emotions)

The ability to interact well with others is another vital aspect of emotional intelligence. Solid social skills allow people to build meaningful relationships with others and develop a more robust understanding of themselves and others.

Proper emotional understanding involves more than just understanding one’s own emotions and those of others. One also needs to put this information to work in one’s daily interactions and communications.

In the workplace or professional settings, managers benefit by being able to build relationships and connections with employees.

Workers benefit from developing a solid rapport with leaders and co-workers. Some prefer to avoid conflict, but it is crucial to address issues as they arise correctly.

Research shows that every unaddressed conflict can waste almost eight hours of company time on unproductive activities, damaging resources and morale. Essential social skills include active listening , verbal communication, nonverbal communication, leadership , and persuasiveness.

Here are some tips on improving social skills:

Ask open-ended questions.

Find icebreakers that will help start conversations.

Practice good eye contact.

Practice active listening with the entire body.

Notice other people’s social skills.

Show interest in others and ask them personal questions.

Watch one’s body language and that of others.

In The Workplace

Emotional intelligence includes showing genuine compassion, empathizing with the needs of individuals, and encouraging the ongoing personal growth of individuals.

When a leader takes into account the emotions of their followers, they then learn how to best engage with them.

1. Lending a Compassionate Ear to a Frustrated Co-Worker

Employees will inevitably get upset, have bad moods, argue, and just generally have bad days. In practice, compassion, understanding, and awareness are definite signs of emotional intelligence.

Awareness of and reacting to other people’s emotional states shows an understanding that all humans experience intense emotions and says that a person’s feelings matter.

2. Listening to Others Respectfully

Ever been to a conference when it seems like everyone is speaking over each other, trying to get the last word?

This is not only an indication of egos taking over and a lack of consideration for others; these are also indications of there being a lack of emotional intelligence.

When individuals are allowed to speak, and others listen without persistent interruptions, it is a good sign of EI. It shows reciprocal respect between parties and is more likely to lead to a productive conclusion in meetings.

3. Being Flexible

Flexibility is a critical term in organizations today. Building flexibility into how people function can be the difference between keeping the best workers and drifting out the door.

Emotionally intelligent leaders comprehend the changing needs of others and are ready to work with them rather than attempting to impose rigid restrictions on how people go about their work.

They do not expect everyone to work the hours they do, hold the same priorities, or live by precisely the same values.

In Healthcare

1. being patient with hurting individuals.

When in healthcare, it is expected that doctors and nurses will have to manage people in pain. Emotional intelligence not only allows for better patient care but also for better self-care.

For instance, if a patient is lashing out, and one can see that they are in pain, one will be far less likely to take their combativeness personally and treat them better.

2. Acting as the Effective Leader

In healthcare, there is a necessity to have influential leaders, a trusting environment with a helpful team, critical thinking, and quality patient and family-centered care.

A higher emotional intelligence will allow healthcare professionals to respond and react better to patients. Studies have shown a correlation between emotional intelligence and positive patient outcomes.

3. Responding Better to Stressful Situations

Multiple occasions in healthcare involve an urgent situation involving a life or death scenario. Doctors and nurses must check their own emotions.

Being in healthcare is a highly emotional career, and being aware of your feelings when they come up is key to effective self-care.

Interacting with patients can cause overwhelming joy or deep sadness, and these fluctuations can be utterly exhausting.

The ability to deal with these feelings, take breaks, and ask for help when you need it is another example of good emotional intelligence that nurses should practice.

Tips for Improving EI

Be more self-aware.

Awareness of one’s emotions and emotional responses to others can significantly improve one’s emotional intelligence. Knowing when one is feeling anxious or angry can help process and communicate those feelings in a way that promotes healthy results.

Recognize how others feel

Emotional intelligence could start with self-reflection, but measuring how others perceive one’s behavior and communication is essential. Adjusting one’s message based on how one is being received is an integral part of being emotionally intelligent.

Practice active listening

People communicate verbally and nonverbally, so listening and monitoring for potentially positive and negative reactions is essential. Taking the time to hear others also demonstrates a level of respect that can form the basis for healthy relationships.

Communicate clearly

Solid communication skills are critical for emotional intelligence. Knowing what to express or write and when to offer information is crucial for building strong relationships.

For instance, as a manager in a work environment, communicating expectations and goals is required to keep everyone on the same page.

Stay positive

A positive attitude is incredibly infectious. Emotionally intelligent people comprehend the power of positive words, encouraging emails, and friendly gestures. When one can also remain positive in a stressful situation, one can help others stay calm. It can also encourage further problem-solving and collaboration.

Thinking about how others might be feeling is an essential quality of emotional intelligence. It means you can empathize with feelings that one may not be feeling oneself and respond in a way that is respectful and relaxing to others.

Be open-minded

Emotionally intelligent people are comfortable to approach because they are good listeners and can consider and understand other viewpoints. They are also receptive to learning new things and embracing novel ideas.

Listen to feedback

It is essential to be the type of person who can hear feedback, whether it is positive on a recent presentation or more critical advice on how you should commission tasks more efficiently.

Being receptive to feedback means taking responsibility for one’s actions and being willing to improve how one communicates with others.

Stay calm under pressure

It is essential to approach stressful situations with a calm and positive attitude. Pressures can quickly escalate, primarily when people are operating under deadlines, so keeping steady and concentrating on finding a solution will help everyone complete their goals.

History of Emotional Intelligence

In the 1930s, psychologist Edward Thorndike explained the concept of “social intelligence” as the ability to get along with other individuals.

During the 1940s, psychologist David Wechsler suggested that different practical elements of intelligence could play a critical role in how successful people are in life.

In the 1950s, the school of thought was known as humanistic psychology, and scholars such as Abraham Maslow concentrated attention on how people could build emotional strength.

Another critical concept to arise in the development of emotional intelligence was the concept of multiple intelligences . This idea was put forth in the mid-1970s by Howard Gardner, presenting the idea that intelligence was more than just a single, broad capacity.

Emotional intelligence did not come into our vernacular until around 1990. The term “emotional intelligence” was first utilized in 1985 as it was presented in a doctoral dissertation by Wayne Payne.

In 1987, there was an article written by Keith Beasley and published in Mensa Magazine that used the term emotional quotient or EQ.

Then in 1990, psychologists John Mayer and Peter Salovey published their milestone article, Emotional Intelligence , in the journal Imagination, Cognition, and Personality .

They described emotional intelligence as the capability to monitor one’s and others’ feelings and emotions, discriminate among them, and use this knowledge to guide one’s thinking and actions.

Salovey and Mayer also initiated a research study to develop accurate measures of emotional intelligence and explore its significance. For example, they found in one investigation that when a group of people saw an upsetting film, those who ranked high on emotional clarity, or the ability to recognize and label a mood that is being experienced, recovered more quickly.

In a different study, people who scored higher in the ability to perceive accurately, understand and appraise others’ emotions were sufficiently capable of responding flexibly to changes in their social environments and building supportive social networks.

But despite it being a relatively new term, attraction to the concept has grown tremendously. In 1995, the concept of emotional intelligence was popularized after the publication of Daniel Goleman’s book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is emotional intelligence important in the workplace.

Researchers have indicated that emotional intelligence influences how excellently employees interact with their colleagues, and EI is also considered to play a role in how employees manage stress and conflict.

It also affects overall performance on the job. Other studies have connected emotional intelligence with job satisfaction.

Studies have shown that workers with higher scores on measures of EI also tend to be ranked higher on criteria of interpersonal functioning, leadership abilities, and stress management.

While standard intelligence was associated with leadership success, it alone was not enough. People who are prosperous at work are not just brilliant; they also have a high EI.

But emotional intelligence is not simply for CEOs and senior executives.

It is a quality that is essential at every level of a person’s career, from university students looking for internships to seasoned workers hoping to take on a leadership role.

Emotional intelligence is critical to success if one wants to succeed in the workplace and move up the career ladder.

Can emotional intelligence be taught?

As it turns out, the question whether emotional intelligence can be learned is not a straightforward one to answer.

Some psychologists and researchers claim that emotional intelligence is a skill that is not quickly learned or improved. Other psychologists and researchers, though, believe it can be improved with practice.

One key to improving EI is sustained practice – especially in high-stakes situations. Referring back to the above tips, one could read them and say those guidelines are pretty straightforward.

But, the challenging task is to do these practices in real-time and consistently. It takes practice to develop these skills. Then as you acquire them, you have to rehearse them under stress.

Can emotional intelligence be measured?

Several different assessments have arisen to gauge levels of emotional intelligence. These trials typically fall into one of two types: self-report tests and ability tests.

Self-report tests are the most abundant because they are the quickest to administer and score. Respondents respond to questions or statements on such tests by rating their behaviors.

For example, on a comment such as “I sense that I understand how others are feeling,” a test-taker might describe the statement as strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree.

On the other hand, ability tests involve people responding to situations and assessing their skills. These tests often require people to demonstrate their abilities, which a third party rates.

If one is taking an emotional intelligence trial issued by a mental health professional, here are two measures that could be used: Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the Emotional and Social Competency Inventory (ESCI).

What is the dark side of emotional intelligence?

The dark side of emotional intelligence is using one’s understanding of emotions manipulatively, to deceive, control, or exploit others.

High emotional intelligence can mask hidden agendas, enabling insincere charm or feigned empathy, potentially leading to deceitful or self-serving actions.

Boyatzis, R. E., & Goleman, D. (2011). Emotional and social competency inventory (ESCI): A user guide for accredited practitioners. Retrieved December , 17 , 2019.

Eurich, T. (2018). What self-awareness really is (and how to cultivate it). Harvard Business Review , 1-9.

Gardner, H. E. (2000). Intelligence reframed: Multiple intelligences for the 21st century . Hachette UK.

Goleman, D. (1996). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ . Bloomsbury Publishing.

Mayer, J. D., Caruso, D. R., & Salovey, P. (1999). Emotional intelligence meets traditional standards for an intelligence. Intelligence, 27 (4), 267-298.

Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (1993). The intelligence of emotional intelligence. Intelligence, 17 (4), 433-442.

Mayer, J. D., & Salovey, P. (2007). Mayer-Salovery-Caruso emotional intelligence test . Toronto: Multi-Health Systems Incorporated.

Payne, W. L. (1985). A study of emotion: developing emotional intelligence; self-integration; relating to fear, pain and desire.

Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence . Imagination, cognition and personality , 9 (3), 185-211.

Thorndike, R. L., & Stein, S. (1937). An evaluation of the attempts to measure social intelligence. Psychological Bulletin , 34 (5), 275.

Wechsler, D., & Kodama, H. (1949). Wechsler intelligence scale for children (Vol. 1). New York: Psychological corporation.

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Utilizing Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

Mikolette / Getty Images

In the Workplace

How to Become More Emotionally Intelligent

Emotional intelligence , sometimes referred to as emotional quotient (EQ), refers to a person's ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions . The term was coined by psychologists in the 1990s and spread quickly among psychologists and beyond.

Emotional intelligence is critical for interpersonal communication, not only in personal relationships but also in the business world. This article delves into what emotional intelligence is and how you can harness its power in the workplace.

Emotional Intelligence, Defined

According to psychologists Peter Salovey and John D. Mayer, leading researchers on the topic, emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in oneself and others. In turn, this emotional understanding helps us make decisions , solve problems, and communicate with others.

Psychologists used to view emotions and intelligence as being in opposition to one another. In recent decades, however, researchers exploring emotion psychology have become increasingly interested in cognition and affect.

Try Our EQ Test

Our fast and free EQ test can help you determine whether or not your responses to certain situations in life indicate a high level of emotional intelligence:

Why EQ Is Important for Success

Emotion psychology and the concept of emotional intelligence gained interest with the 1995 publication of Daniel Goleman's "Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ." Goleman argues that emotional intelligence is a critical predictor of success in life. Emotional competencies, he argued, play a particularly important role in the workplace.

The concept quickly attracted the attention of human resource managers and business leaders. Researchers have suggested that emotional intelligence influences how well employees interact with their colleagues, manage stress, and navigate conflict. It also affects overall performance on the job. Other studies have linked emotional intelligence with job satisfaction.

Employees with higher scores on measures of EQ also tend to be rated higher on measures of interpersonal functioning, leadership abilities, and stress management.

Goleman suggested that, although traditional intelligence was associated with leadership success, it alone was not enough. People who are successful at work aren't just smart; they also have a high EQ.

But emotional intelligence is not just for CEOs and senior managers. It's important at every level of a person's career, from college students looking for internships to seasoned employees hoping to take on leadership roles. If you want to succeed in the workplace and move up the career ladder, emotional intelligence is critical.

Why EQ Matters in the Workplace

Why is emotional intelligence such a valued workplace skill? In a survey of hiring managers, almost 75% of respondents suggested that they valued an employee's EQ more than their IQ.

Emotional intelligence is widely recognized as a valuable skill that helps improve communication, management, problem-solving, and relationships within the workplace. It is also a skill that researchers believe can be improved with training and practice.

Make better decisions and solve problems

Keep cool under pressure

Resolve conflicts

Have greater empathy

Listen, reflect, and respond to constructive criticism

Play the role of the victim or avoid taking responsibility for errors

Have passive or aggressive communication styles

Refuse to work as a team

Are overly critical of others or dismiss others' opinions

Although emotional skills come naturally to some people, anyone can improve their ability to understand and reason. This can be particularly helpful in the workplace, where relationships and business decisions often on interpersonal understanding, teamwork, and communication.

Factors such as upbringing and personality tend to play a large role in the development of emotional intelligence, but you can improve yours with effort and practice.

One 2011 study found that participants who trained in key emotional competencies showed lasting improvements in emotional intelligence. They also experienced improvements in physical and mental well-being, better social relationships, and lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels.

If you are interested in improving your emotional intelligence skills to benefit your workplace performance, take steps to improve your skills in the five categories of emotional intelligence: Self-awareness, self-regulation, social skills, empathy, and motivation.

Become More Self-Aware

One of the first steps toward using emotional intelligence skills in the workplace is to practice recognizing your own emotions. Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of yourself, including your emotions and feelings. It is one of the foundational components of emotional intelligence . To recognize your emotions and understand their causes, you need to first be self-aware .

Pay attention to how you are feeling . How do these emotions influence how you respond? Do the things you are feeling have an impact on the decisions you make or how you interact with others? As you reflect on these questions, you may find that you become much more aware of your own emotions and the role that they play in your daily life.
Take stock of emotional strengths and weaknesses . How well do you communicate with others? Do you find yourself experiencing impatience, anger, or annoyance often? What are some ways you can deal with these feelings effectively? Recognizing weaknesses allows you to look for ways to deal with them.
Remember that emotions are fleeting . A co-worker might irritate you or your boss might give you a frustrating task to complete. Before you react, remember that these things are temporary. Making rash decisions based on intense emotions can be detrimental to your long-term goals and success.

Practice Self-Regulation

Goleman identified self-regulation as a critical part of emotional intelligence. Being aware of your emotions is an important first step, but you also need to be able to manage your feelings.

People who possess good self-regulation are able to adapt well to changing situations. They don't bottle things up; they wait for appropriate ways to express their emotions rather than reacting impulsively.

To improve your self-regulation skills in the workplace:

Find techniques to release workplace stress . Having hobbies outside of work is a great place to start. Physical exercise is also a healthy way to release stress.
Keep your cool . Accept the fact that you cannot control everything. Look for helpful ways to respond that don't add fuel to the fire.
Think before making decisions . Emotions can overwhelm you in the heat of the moment. You can make a calmer, more rational choice if you give yourself time to consider all of the possibilities.

Improve Social Skills

Research on emotion psychology suggests that people with high EQs also have strong social skills. Because they are adept at recognizing other people's emotions, they are able to respond appropriately to the situation. Social skills are also highly valued in the workplace because they lead to better communication and a more positive company culture.

Employees and leaders with great social skills are able to build rapport with colleagues and communicate their ideas effectively. People with good social skills are not only great team players, but they are also able to take on leadership roles when needed. To boost your social skills:

Listen to what others have to say . This doesn't mean just passively listening to other people talk. Active listening involves showing attention, asking questions, and providing feedback. Whether you are a manager or a team member, active listening can show that you are passionate about work projects and willing to work with others to help the group reach its goals.
Pay attention to nonverbal communication . The signals that people send through their body language can convey a lot about what they really think.
Hone your persuasion skills . Being able to carry influence in the workplace and convince team members and supervisors to listen to your ideas can go a long way in advancing your career.
Avoid office drama . Do your best to stay out of the petty office politics that sometimes take over the workplace, but be aware that conflicts are not always avoidable. Focus on listening to what others have to say and look for ways to solve problems and minimize tensions.

Become More Empathetic

Emotionally intelligent people are good at stepping into another person's shoes and understanding how they feel. Empathy is more than just recognizing how others are feeling. It also involves how you respond to these emotions.

In the workplace, empathy allows you to understand the different dynamics between colleagues and supervisors. It also allows you to recognize who holds power and how it influences the behaviors, feelings, and interactions that flow from such relationships.

See things from the other person's point of view . It can be challenging at times, especially if you feel like the other person is wrong. But rather than let disagreements build up into major conflicts, spend time looking at the situation from another's perspective. It can be a great first step toward finding a middle ground between two opposing points of view.
Pay attention to how you respond to others . Do you let them have a chance to share their ideas? Do you acknowledge their input, even if you disagree? Letting others know that their efforts have merit often helps everyone feel more willing to compromise.

Work on Your Motivation

Another key component of emotional intelligence is intrinsic motivation. People who have strong EQ tend to be more motivated to achieve goals for their own sake. Rather than seeking external rewards, they want to do things because they find them fulfilling and they are passionate about what they do.

Money, status, and acclaim are great, but people who are highly successful in the workplace are usually motivated by something more than that. They are passionate about what they do. They have a commitment to their work, they love taking on new challenges, and their enthusiasm can seem contagious. They don't give up in the face of obstacles and they are able to inspire others to work hard and persist in order to achieve goals.

Focus on what you love about your work . There are probably things about your job that you love and things that you hate.Try focusing on the aspects of your job that you enjoy , such as the feeling of accomplishment you get when you complete a big project, or helping your clients progress toward their own goals. Identify those components of your job and take inspiration from them.
Try to maintain a positive attitude . Notice how optimistic people in the workplace tend to inspire and motivate others. Adopting this kind of attitude can help you feel more positively about your work.

A Word From Verywell

Emotional intelligence plays an important role not only in well-being but also in your success in the workplace. Fortunately, there are a number of lessons you can take from emotion psychology that will allow you to improve your EQ and foster greater emotional competencies to improve your work performance and career success.

Extremera N, Mérida-López S, Sánchez-Álvarez N, Quintana-Orts C. How does emotional intelligence make one feel better at work? The mediational role of work engagement . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 2018;15(9):1909. doi:10.3390/ijerph15091909

Beenen G, Pichler S, Livingston B, Riggio R. The good manager: development and validation of the managerial interpersonal skills scale . Front Psychol . 2021;12. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.631390

Career Builder. " Seventy-One Percent of Employers Say They Value Emotional Intelligence Over IQ ."

Kotsou I, Nelis D, Grégoire J, Mikolajczak M. Emotional plasticity: Conditions and effects of improving emotional competence in adulthood . J Appl Psychol. 2011;96(4):827-39. doi:10.1037/a0023047

Brackett MA, Rivers SE, Salovey P. Emotional intelligence: Implications for personal, social, academic, and workplace success . Soc Personal Psychol Compass. 2011;5(1):880103. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00334.x

Goleman D. Emotional Intelligence . Bantam 10th anniversary hardcover ed. Bantam Books; 2006.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Corpus ID: 55989296

Investigation the effect of emotional intelligence skills and metacognitive capabilities on student's mathematical problem solving

M. Sharei , Farhad Kazemi , M. Jafari
Published 2012
Mathematics, Psychology, Education
Educational Research

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11 Citations

Identifying emotional intelligence and metacognitive awareness among university students, relationship between self-concept, emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills on secondary school students’ attitude towards solving algebraic problems, studying the relationship between emotional intelligence and its components with metacognitive skillfulness in college students, the mathematical reasoning in terms of emotional intelligence, emotional intelligence: it’s relationship to mathematics achievement of senior high school, the effectiveness of metacognitive training on emotional intelligence and ego defense styles, pre-service teachers’ emotional social intelligence: differences by gender and major, correlation between emotional intelligence and problem solving skill of health students of faculty of medicine universitas hasanuddin, investigating the relationship between emotional intelligence and meta-cognition among hashemite university students, meta-cognitive skills and learning & thinking style : predicting academic achievement among school students, 46 references, gender differences in metacognitive skills. a study of the 8th grade pupils in romania, a subtle view to metacognitive aspect of mathematical problems solving, a comparison between two methods of measurement of meta-cognitive awareness on mathematical problems solving of university students, a gender study on predictive factors of mathematical performance of university students, influences of metacognition-based teaching and teaching via problem solving on students’ beliefs about mathematics and mathematical problem solving, impact of prior content and meta‐cognitive knowledge on students' performance in an introductory accounting course, mathematics and metacognition: what is the nature of the relationship., developing students’ metacognitive knowledge and skills, emotional development and emotional intelligence: educational implications., gender differences in homework and test scores in mathematics, reading and science at tenth and twelfth grade, related papers.

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Effectiveness of emotional intelligence training program on marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and psychological well-being of women

Arezoo sheikh milani.

Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Meimanat Hosseini

Mahsa matbouei, maliheh nasiri.

1 Department of Biostatistics, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Emotional communications play an important role in having a satisfying relationship and a more successful marriage. If marriage does not provide suitable conditions to satisfy couple's needs, not only it does not help to mental health but also results in negative and irreversible effects.

This research was performed with the aim of determining the impact of emotional intelligence training on marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and psychological well-being of women.

SETTINGS AND DESIGN:

The present research is an experimental study conducted on 70 women referring to community health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2019.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS:

The sampling was performed using multistage cluster sampling. Before implementing the training intervention, the research instruments (general questionnaire, Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale, Iranian version of Sexual Quality of Life-Female questionnaire, and World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index) were provided to the participants in order to complete them. All participants recompleted the instruments immediately and 1 month after the training intervention.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED:

The significance level was considered as P < 0.05.

The mean scores of marital satisfaction in the control group had no significant difference before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention ( P = 0.895). However, in the intervention group, over time, the mean scores of marital satisfaction increased ( P = 0.001), and the difference between the two groups was significant ( P < 0.001). The mean scores of sexual quality of life and psychological well-being had no significant differences before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention in the control group. However, in the intervention group, over time, the mean scores of sexual quality of life and psychological well-being firstly increased and then decreased ( P < 0.001), and the difference between the two groups was significant ( P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Training the components of emotional intelligence can be effective on enhancing marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and psychological well-being of women.

Introduction

Marriage can be described as the most important phenomenon in human relationships as it can provide the principal structure for developing familial relationships and development of the next generation.[ 1 ] It results in peace, personal and social development, gratification of sexual needs, and psychological needs of individuals, thereby providing individual and public health.[ 2 ] In spite of the desired consequences of marriage, unfortunately, many couples have problems in establishing and maintaining proper and effective relationships with each other,[ 3 ] such that we are witnessing progressive rate of divorce in different societies.[ 4 ] Various studies have indicated that different factors such as marital and sexual dissatisfaction can affect the relationships between couples and may also cause an increased tendency for separation between them.[ 5 ] Marital satisfaction is considered as a sense of happiness and satisfaction between couples about different aspects of their marriage.[ 6 ] Kaplan and Maddux (2002) stated that marital satisfaction is a personal experience in marriage and can be accessed just by the couples themselves. This concept develops in response to the extent of satisfaction with the marital relationship. They believe that marital satisfaction depends on personal expectations and beliefs.[ 7 ] Concerning the importance of the role of family in the society and prevention of devastation of its foundation, awareness of the factors affecting marital satisfaction as the basis for familial integrity seems to be essential.[ 8 ] One of the factors that can affect adaptation and satisfaction of spouses with marital life is the quality of life.[ 9 ] Quality of life is a complex concept affected by various factors such as physical health, psychological status, level of independence, social relations, personal beliefs, and environmental factors.[ 10 ] Furthermore, one of the important dimensions of quality of life is sexual quality of life.[ 11 ] Sexual quality of life is one of the key issues in the area of sexual health. Researchers believe that it refers to the sense of sexual attraction, interest and participation in daily activities as well as perception of sexual function, which is tightly interwoven with overall quality of life and the level of satisfying from it.[ 12 , 13 ] Concerning the undeniable role of sexual function in the human life and its relationship with the quality of life as well as psychological well-being, as the sexual quality of individuals' life increases, so does their well-being.[ 14 , 15 ] Psychological well-being is one of the aspects for healthy functioning in individuals.[ 16 ] Csiks Zentmihaly has defined well-being as achieving a balance between positive and negative emotions along with satisfaction with life. One of the important variables regarding the psychological well-being is emotional intelligence.[ 17 ] Emotional intelligence can be regarded as the ability of appropriately identifying the emotions and affections in others and suitable responses to them, as well as stimulation, awareness, organization, and control of one's emotional responses.[ 18 ] Today, emotional intelligence has been emphasized as a factor for improving marital satisfaction between couples. Using emotional intelligence skills, couples will be able to overcome stressful factors in the course of their marital life.[ 19 ] The notable point is that emotional intelligence is not something intrinsic or genetic; rather, it can be trained and learned.[ 20 ] Training emotional intelligence results in increased awareness of individuals of their emotions as well as acquiring greater skills and abilities in managing their problems and emotions, thereby contributing to more successful adaptation to the environment, needs, pressures, and higher psychological health.[ 21 ] According to Silva et al . study, there are significant but mild levels of association between emotional intelligence and sexual function.[ 22 ] The results of the study by Guerra-Bustamante et al . suggested that as the capacity of understanding and regulation of emotional intelligence increases, psychological well-being also increases.[ 23 ] Siavoshi et al . also found that there was a positive and significant relationship between emotional intelligence and marital satisfaction.[ 24 ] Considering the importance of emotional intelligence skills and its role in regulating the emotional states and in turn improving the relationships between couples and their psychological health, this can be employed in investigating and providing supportive and educational interventions by nurses.[ 19 ] Not many studies exist that determine the impact of training the components of emotional intelligence on marital and sexual variables, such as marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and psychological well-being. In order to fill the gap in the research, we developed this study with the aim of assessing the impact of training emotional intelligence on three components of women marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and their psychological well-being

Subjects and Methods

The present research is an experimental study with pre/posttest design as well as intervention and control groups that was performed in 2019. A total of 70 women with reproductive ages who were referred to the community health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were enrolled in this study using a multistage cluster sampling method. To implement this research, after acquiring the necessary permissions from Educational Deputy of the Nursing School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Ministry of Health and Medical Education's Deputy of Health, determining the researched community health centers, identifying women qualifying for the research unit characteristics, and gaining both oral and written consent; the samples were included. Specifically, at first, all community health centers of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences were classified into four clusters based on geographical regions. Then, inside the clusters, one center was randomly chosen. Overall, four community health centers were considered; and two centers were randomly assigned to the intervention group ( n = 35) and two others as control groups ( n = 35) (drawcard). Inside the community health centers, the samples fulfilling the inclusion criteria were chosen through convenience sampling. The inclusion criteria were as follows: being married and living with their spouse, having nuclear family, age ranged from 18 to 49 years (reproductive ages), willingness to respond to the research instruments, and literacy (reading and writing). On the other hand, the exclusion criteria included absence of more than two sessions from the training sessions and incomplete research instruments. Furthermore, the research tools were as follows:

General questionnaire

It contained 11 questions on demographic and health characteristics of women enrolled in the study (age, educational status, employment status, educational status of the spouse, employment status of the spouse, the number of marital life years, the number of family members, the family income sufficiency, history of chronic disease, history of nervous and psychological disease, and incidence of emotional problems over the past 2 weeks).

Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale

This scale has three items with a seven-point Likert scale ranging from extremely dissatisfied[ 1 ] to extremely satisfied[ 7 ] to measure the marital satisfaction. The minimum and maximum possible scores are 3 and 21, respectively. Accordingly, high scores represent greater marital satisfaction. The designers of this scale believe that scores 17 and above indicate the highest level of marital satisfaction.[ 25 ] The validity of this instrument in Iran has been investigated by Arab Alidousti et al . (2015) through three methods of convergent validity, known-group comparison, and factorial validity, and the results suggested the desired validity of this instrument. The reliability of this instrument was examined through Cronbach's alpha method as well as item-scale correlations. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was obtained as α = 0.98, whereas the item-scale correlation for all items was at least r = 0.2 and above, which represents the desired reliability of this questionnaire.[ 26 ]

Iranian version of Sexual Quality of Life-Female questionnaire

It was designed by Maasoumi et al ., evaluating sexual quality of life in married Iranian women during their reproductive ages. This questionnaire contains 61 items with a five-point Likert type scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree). The minimum score acquired in this instrument is 61, while the maximum is 305. The basis for analyzing the acquired score is the mean score of the covered population, in which the scores higher than the average score signal a better status of sexual quality of life, while the scores lower than that reflect less desirable status of sexual quality of life. The content validity and face validity of Sexual Quality of Life-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire (Iranian version) were investigated both quantitatively and qualitatively, where CVI and CVR were obtained as 0.97 and 0.74, respectively, demonstrating desired validity of this questionnaire. Finally, the reliability of this questionnaire was calculated using two methods as follows: Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.94) and stability determination within a 2-week interval ( r = 0.95, P < 0.001), indicating the desirable reliability of this instrument.[ 27 , 28 ]

World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index

It is a short self-report index measuring positive well-being over the past 2 weeks based on a 6-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (always). The raw score of the respondent theoretically spans from 0 (no well-being) up to 25 (maximum well-being). Furthermore, through multiplying the total score by 4, the range of scores can be converted to 0–100 scale, in which higher scores reflect greater well-being, while lower scores indicate depression.[ 29 ] The convergent validity and reliability of the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index in Iran were investigated by Dehshiri and Mousavi, indicating desired convergent validity of the instrument. Further, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient of this scale was found as α = 089, suggesting high internal consistency and desired reliability of this index.[ 30 ]

In the present research, the content validity and face validity of the questionnaires were confirmed by 10 professors of Nursing and Midwifery School of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. In order to determine the reliability of instruments, internal consistency method and stability determination were used. Furthermore, to specify the internal consistency, the Cronbach's alpha of instruments was determined, and in marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and well-being index, the coefficients were found to be 0.92, 0.86, and 0.88, respectively, representing desired reliability of the questionnaires.

Before implementing the educational intervention, the training contents of components of emotional intelligence were prepared which validity was confirmed by two psychiatric nursing and community health nursing professors at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Before holding the educational sessions, the research instruments were provided to the participants in order to be completed. Then, the participants in the intervention group ( n = 35) in 10–15-member groups participated in seven 90-min sessions to acquire emotional intelligence skills for approximately 2 months and once per week. The educational program was implemented by one of the researchers through lecture, question and answer, group discussion, and practice (both theoretical and practical). During each session, 60 min was devoted to training of emotional intelligence, 10 min to rest and catering, and final 20 min of each session to the practicing of the taught skills, answering of participants' questions, and the final evaluation of the session. Schedule including the topic, date, and time of each session was also given to the participants. To ensure that the participants practiced and performed their assignments, the researcher contacted them through phone calls once a week during the intervals between sessions. Accordingly, emotional intelligence skills were trained in terms of the theoretical principles of emotional intelligence developed by Goleman (emotional intelligence components including self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, as well as social components of emotional intelligence including empathy and social skills), Gottman emotional intelligence training techniques (awareness of emotions, seeing emotions as an opportunity for connection and teaching, listening and validating feelings, assisting individuals to label the emotions, and helping a person discover appropriate ways to solve a problem or deal with an upsetting situation), and based on the Bar-On's emotional intelligence components (interpersonal function, intrapersonal skills, adaptability, stress management, and general mood). The summary of the content of the seven sessions for training the components of emotional intelligence was as follows:

Session 1: Briefing and pretest
Session 2: Training the skills for emotional self-awareness and identifying the emotions and feelings belonged to others (in terms of the individual components of emotional intelligence of Goleman along with emotional intelligence training techniques of Gottman)
Session 3: Training the proper ways of self-expression and self-respect, interpersonal, and empathy skills (in terms of the social components of emotional intelligence of Goleman as well as Bar-On's emotional intelligence components)
Session 4: Training the methods of stress management and social responsibility (in terms of the Bar-On's emotional intelligence components)
Session 5: Training problem-solving skills and flexibility (in terms of the Bar-On's emotional intelligence components and emotional intelligence training techniques by Gottman)
Session 6: Training the skills of happiness and optimism (in terms of the Bar-On's emotional intelligence components)
Session 7: Reassessing the participants and posttest.

All the participants recompleted the instruments immediately and 1 month after the educational intervention. At the end of the study, since the control group received no intervention, in order to respect ethical considerations; a brochure about what had been explained in the training sessions was prepared and provided to all participants (both intervention and control groups). For data analysis, SPSS version 18 software was used. Statistical tests including Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test (to investigate the difference between the two groups regarding qualitative demographic variables), independent t -test (to compare the intervention and control groups), and repeated measures ANOVA were used (ANOVA was employed since the response variable was measured three times in the course of the follow-up period).

Ethical considerations

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University of medical sciences with the ethics code of IR.SBMU.PHARMACY.REC.1398.063. The study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials ( https://www.irct.ir ) with the IRCT ID: IRCT20190530043772N1. In addition, informed consent form was taken from all participants and confidentiality of information was assured.

First, both control and intervention groups were assessed to indicate if they are matched; only, the number of marital years was significantly different between the two groups. Based on the results of independent t -test, no significant difference was observed in the mean age of the two groups ( P = 0.5). According to the Fisher's exact test, the participants in both intervention and control groups were almost matched in terms of the educational status ( P = 0.735), spouse educational status ( P = 0.53), employment status of spouse ( P = 0.421), number of children ( P = 0.661), history of chronic disease ( P = 0.198), and history of neurological and psychological diseases ( P < 0.99). The results of Chi-square test indicated that the employment status ( P = 0.808), family income sufficiency ( P = 0.81), and incidence of emotional problems over the past 2 weeks ( P = 0.192) had no significant differences between the two groups. None of the intervention or control groups' participants had a history of participating in emotional intelligence training courses.

Because of the significant difference in the number of marital years in the two groups, the effect of this variable was modified as a confounding variable in the repeated measures ANOVA model.

As shown in Table 1 , the results of repeated measures ANOVA indicated that time had a different impact on the mean scores of marital satisfaction ( P < 0.001), and as shown in Table 2 , in the control group based on the results of independent t -test, the mean scores of marital satisfaction had no significant differences before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention ( P = 0.895). However, in the intervention group, over time, the mean score of marital satisfaction increased ( P = 0.001), and the difference between the groups was significant ( P < 0.001) [ Figure 1 ].

The effect of time on mean scores of study variables in women referring to community health centers

Variable	Time		Group		Group × time

		*		*		*
Marital satisfaction	11.458	0.001	4.911	0.030	34.473	<0.001
SQOL	5.698	0.020	14.702	<0.001	55.776	<0.001
Psychological well-being	7.652	0.007	5.499	0.022	39.492	<0.001

*Using Two-way repeated measures ANOVA. SQOL=Sexual quality of life

Comparison of the mean scores±standard deviation of study variables in the participants of intervention and control groups before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention

Group Time	Intervention group, mean±SD			* Between three time points	Control group, mean±SD			* Between three time points	value between the groups**

	Before the intervention	Immediately after the intervention	1 month after the intervention		Before the intervention	Immediately after the intervention	1 month after the intervention		Before the intervention	Immediately after the intervention	1 month after the intervention
Variables
Marital satisfaction	12.46±3.66	12.94±3.40	15.11±2.05	0.001	11.74±3.84	11.97±3.36	12.03±3.61	0.895	0.428	0.233	<0.001
SQOL	180.11±16.13	209.29±14.72	203.37±14.70	<0.001	186.49±22.59	183.34±22.77	182.34±21.36	0.739	0.179	<0.001	<0.001
Psychological well-being	11.14±2.94	16.69±2.61	16.31±2.18	<0.001	13.60±3.96	13.43±2.66	13.63±2.76	0.590	0.004	<0.001	<0.001

*Using one-way repeated measures ANOVA, **Using independent t -test. SD=Standard deviation, SQOL=Sexual quality of life

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Comparison of the mean scores of marital satisfaction in the participants of intervention and control groups during the time

Furthermore, based on the results of repeated measures ANOVA, the impact of time on the mean scores of sexual quality of life has also been different ( P = 0.020) [ Table 1 ]. As shown in Table 2 , the mean scores in the control group had no significant differences before, immediately after, and bypassing one month from the intervention ( P = 0.739). However, over time, in the intervention group, the mean score of sexual quality of life first increased and then decreased ( P < 0.001), where the difference between the two groups has been significant ( P < 0.001) [ Figure 2 ].

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Comparison of the mean scores of sexual quality of life in the participants of intervention and control groups during the time

According to the results of repeated measures ANOVA, the influence of time on the mean scores of psychological well-being has been different ( P = 0.007) [ Table 1 ]; also, the mean scores of psychological well-being had no significant difference in the control group before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention ( P = 0.590). However, in the intervention group, over time, the mean score of psychological well-being first increased and then decreased ( P < 0.001), and the difference between the groups was significant ( P < 0.001) [ Table 2 and Figure 3 ].

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Comparison of the mean scores of psychological well-being in the participants of intervention and control groups during the time

Based on the results of this study, emotional intelligence training resulted in enhanced marital satisfaction in women. These findings are in line with the results of a study by Jafaribalalmi et al . who examined the impact of skill-based emotional intelligence training program on the extent of marital satisfaction among university students. They stated that the scores of subjects' emotional intelligence and marital satisfaction increased after participation in the training program; thus, augmentation of emotional intelligence can be effective on enhancing the marital satisfaction.[ 31 ] The findings of this research are in agreement with the results of various studies.[ 19 , 32 , 33 ] In interpreting these results, it can be stated that those who are able to maintain their emotional intelligence at high levels and can well control their emotions and feelings are more fixable during sensitive and stressful situations. Accordingly, they refrain from any clash or row, thereby promoting their marital satisfaction. Emotional intelligence can support the development of stability and peace in marital life. In the individuals with a poor emotional intelligence, instability in the life (economic instability and cough financial conditions) can adversely affect the application of emotional intelligence skills, whereby they cannot use their normal emotional knowledge.[ 34 ] The results of the present research showed that before the intervention, the mean scores of sexual quality of life in the participants had no significant difference; however, immediately as well as 1 month after the intervention, the difference of means became significant and the sum of the scores increased. Previous research suggested that high sexual quality of life is one of the factors leading to enhanced marital satisfaction.[ 35 , 36 ] Willi and Buri for the first time evaluated the impact of emotional intelligence on sexual function and marital satisfaction. They concluded that emotional intelligence was effective in sexual satisfaction and sexual quality of life in women,[ 37 ] which is congruent with the results of the present study. It seems that training, diagnosis, and treatment of sexual disorders should be one of the components of screening and health-care programs, so that psychological disorders, impaired quality of life as well as interpersonal relations could be prevented.

The findings of the present research showed that before the intervention, the mean scores of psychological well-being of the two groups differed significantly; the mean score was lower in the intervention group compared to the control. However, immediately and 1 month after the intervention (in spite of reduction in the mean score), the difference of means was significant, where the mean score of psychological well-being was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. Furthermore, Vicente-Galindo et al . reported similar results. They found that emotional intelligence can significantly affect the promotion of physical and psychological well-being of priests.[ 38 ] The results of other studies in this area are also congruent with ours.[ 39 , 40 ] Hence, it can be said that in the course of emotional intelligence training, the way psychological stress and tensions should be addressed as well as positive assessment of events and incidents are learned; in addition to reducing stress, through enhancing the general mood, it can cause positive changes in psychological well-being. Different studies suggest the fact that in today's societies, spouses have various problems to establish and maintain intimate relationships with each other and also to understand each other's feelings. Evidently, the current deficiencies in emotional competence of spouses alongside various other factors adversely affect their marital life. Satisfaction with the marital relationship is equal to personal satisfaction with the family and the life in general. In this regard, application of emotional skills, identifying one's own emotions and feelings, and the methods of properly regulating and expressing the emotions are among the most important issues in life skills.

Strengths and Limitations of the study

Investigating sexual quality of life through a specific and Iranian version of sexual quality of life questionnaire and determining the effect of emotional intelligence training program on marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and psychological well-being is considered as one of the strengths of the present study. Collecting information through self-reporting and affecting the mental states of the study participants was the limitation of this study.

Conclusions

According to this study, training emotional intelligence and its components are effective for enhancing the couples' marital satisfaction, sexual quality of life, and their psychological well-being. It should be noted that since one of the duties of nurses is educating, they can raise emotional intelligence by group counseling or classes, especially before marriage, to promote emotional intelligence, women's awareness, improve sexual relationships, and consequently increase sexual satisfaction and family health.

Practical suggestions

Based on the findings of the research, it is suggested that since the concept of emotional intelligence is acquired and can be learned, educational planners should pay more attention to this issue and deal with training emotional intelligence skills through mass media. Furthermore, since typically Iranian women feel ashamed of expressing their sexual problems and often neglect their sexual issues and needs, considering the importance of quality of marital relationships on psychological health, training workshops should be organized regarding the importance of expressing sexual problems, training marital relationship techniques, and sexual health. Furthermore, it is suggested that for couples with conflict referring to counseling centers, emotional intelligence training sessions and courses should be considered so that their marital satisfaction and adaptability would increase.

Financial support and sponsorship

This study was financially supported by the “Student Research Committee” and “Research and Technology Chancellor” in Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.

Conflicts of interest