Emotional intelligence training intervention among trainee teachers: a quasi-experimental study

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Education

Background:

• Emotional intelligence (EI) is linked to professional success and integrated into university curricula.
• Developing EI requires significant student time and effort, potentially impacting specialized learning.
• This study evaluates an intervention designed to enhance EI in higher education students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and evaluate an intervention aimed at developing emotional intelligence in higher education students.
• To assess if EI development can be achieved without compromising academic performance or increasing student workload.

Main Methods:

• An eight-session group intervention focused on emotional perception, understanding, expression, and management.
• Participants included 192 Master of Primary Education students.
• A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design with multi-level analyses was employed.

Main Results:

• The intervention group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in emotional intelligence compared to the control group.
• The study confirmed that EI can be effectively developed within the existing academic structure.

Conclusions:

• It is feasible to enhance emotional intelligence in higher education students.
• The intervention successfully improved EI without hindering the acquisition of degree-specific competencies.
• The program did not negatively affect academic performance or create an undue burden on students.