Abstract:

A set of 2 controlled experimental studies was conducted to investigate whether and how it is possible to increase emotional intelligence through a relatively brief training. The results of Study 1 revealed that participants underwent a designed 16-week intervention (i.e., training plus practice) in active experimental group showed significant increase in emotional intelligence at post-test. Yet, participants underwent a designed 16-week training program in experimental group showed only marginally significant increase, and participants in control group showed no change at post-test. Results of Study 2 revealed that participants underwent a four-week intervention of expressive writing about positive emotional experiences showed significant changes in emotional intelligence and marginally significant changes in life satisfaction at follow-up test, although both of them showed no significant change at post-test. Furthermore, the results indicated that changes in emotional intelligence at follow-up test were found to be significant predictors of changes in life satisfaction in the intervention group. The levels of emotional intelligence and life satisfaction in the control group showed no significant change both at post-test and at follow-up test. These data suggest that emotional intelligence can be improved in a relative short period of intervention. These findings also provide experimental support for the view that contextual factors (e.g., intervention methods, more practice) influence the effectiveness of emotional intelligence intervention.

Key words: emotional intelligence, quasi-experiment intervention, life satisfaction, positive writing