The Role of Education in Emotional Intelligence to Perceive, Understand and Regulate Emotions: A Quasi-Experimental...

Background: Emotional intelligence is the ability to make decisions and adapt to life changes. This capacity may be conditioned by emotional states. Evidence shows that postpartum women experience these changes, which affect an estimated 80% of postpartum women and their parenting management. The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of interventions based on reinforcing emotional intelligence in pregnant and postpartum women and their relationship with the different sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the mother and newborn. Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental experiment between August 2016 and December 2018. We recruited a total of 69 pregnant women (35 women in the intervention group and 34 women in the control group). The pregnant women in the intervention group were exposed to hybrid interventions through a mobile health application and in-person interventions as part of a training and emotional management program. The Trait-Meta Mood Scale (TMMS-24) evaluation questionnaire was administered to measure emotional intelligence across its three dimensions. Results: The results showed important clinical significance, although not statistical significance in all TMMS domains. Postpartum scores for clarity (mean: 29.20; SD 6.36 vs. 24.91; SD 6.67; p > 0.05), repair (mean: 28.43; SD 5.58; vs. 24.62; SD 7.04; p > 0.05), and attention (mean: 26.03; SD 6.08 vs. 23.29; SD 5.14; p > 0.05) were higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. The duration of gestation notably influenced "Clarity", while work situations and parental support affected "emotional repair". Conclusions: Educational training increased emotional competencies and equipped women with the emotional mechanisms needed to adopt new adaptation strategies. Training in emotional self-management during pregnancy has a greater impact on the "Clarity" of emotions.