Emotional intelligence correlates with self-esteem among adolescents In the article “Emotional intelligence as a determinant of self-esteem and depression in adolescents” by Riaz Ahmad, Hina Imran and Tariq Mehmood (2009), the authors evaluate and discuss the conclusion drawn from their study that EI (Emotional Intelligence) correlates with depression and self-esteem among adolescents. EI is defined as “the ability to adaptively perceive, understand, control, regulate, and harness emotions in the self and others” (e. . , Salovey and Mayer, 1990; Schutte et al. , 1998). According to Petrides and Furnham (2000), there is a correlation between high emotional intelligence and high self-esteem as well as between low emotional intelligence and depression.
The present study brought up in this article covers different variables; EI and self-esteem, EI and depression. The result from these studies clearly supports that there is a positive correlation between EI and self-esteem and a negative correlation between EI and depression.I put my focus on the measure and result in the study between EI and self-esteem. The study was conducted in colleges and schools of Karachi (Pakistan) involving 112 students (61 male, 51 female) aged between 16-18 years.
The research involved 3 questionnaires measured with scales; The Trait EI questionnaire-Adolescents short form (TEIQue-SF; Petrides and Furnhm, 2003), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) and Siddiqui Shah Depression scale (Siddiqui and Shah, 1997).The researchers established the associations between the variables through correlation which appear appropriate for this type of study. The study’s result shows a significant positive correlation between EI and self-esteem: Variable: EI, N: 112, Mean: 143. 79, SD: 22. 709 r: .
457. 00 Variable: SE, N: 112, Mean: 20. 07, SD: 4. 20 Some other researchers have also found the relationship that increased emotional intelligence leads to increased self-esteem including (Schutte et al. 002); where the relationship is associated with less depression (Martinez-Pons, 1997; Schutte et al.
, 1998); that it leads to greater optimism (Schutte et al. , 1998); and increasing satisfaction with life. Ciarrochi et al. , (2000); Martinez-Pons, (1997); Ciarrochi, Chan and Caputi, (2000); and Schutte, Malouff, Siunek, Hollander and McKenley, (2002) described the relationship between emotional intelligence and self-esteem as a measure of emotional well-being.A positive mood and improved self-esteem is associated with higher emotional intelligence.
Earlier it was stated that a substantial section of the EI are social skills, which in turn makes a person with high EI to e. g. keep his temper and hence his self-image which leads to greater self-esteem. Reference Ahmad, R.
, Imran, H. and Mehmood, T. (2009, June 30). Emotional intelligence as a determinant of self-esteem and depression among adolescents. Pakistan Journal of Psychology. Retrieved from www.
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