The development of emotional intelligence in childhood: associations with general developmental abilities

Emotional intelligence (EI) is thought to develop alongside broader cognitive, communicative, and motor abilities during childhood. However, evidence from early childhood remains limited, particularly when EI is assessed using performance-based measures. This cross-sectional study examined age- and gender-related differences in EI and general developmental abilities, as well as the associations between them, in 377 Spanish children aged 48-83 months (M = 71.82, SD = 7.45). Emotion perception, understanding, and management were assessed using the Emotional Intelligence Test of the Botín Foundation for Children, a performance-based measure, while cognitive, communication, and motor abilities were assessed using the Battelle Developmental Inventory (BDI). We examined gender differences, bivariate associations, linear and quadratic age trends, and multivariable predictors of each EI ability. Girls scored higher than boys in emotion perception, whereas boys scored higher in cognitive abilities, although both differences were small. No gender differences emerged in the remaining abilities. Age was positively associated with all general developmental and EI abilities, although these associations were stronger for general developmental abilities. Quadratic age terms produced only trivial increases in explained variance, supporting a predominantly linear pattern across the age range examined. General developmental abilities were positively, albeit modestly, associated with EI. In the final regression models, cognitive ability independently predicted emotion perception (β = 0.177, p = 0.004) and, most strongly, emotion management (β = 0.322, p < 0.001), whereas communication ability independently predicted emotion understanding (β = 0.181, p = 0.002). Age retained a small independent association only with emotion perception, while motor ability made no unique contribution. The final models explained 8.1%, 4.4%, and 9.6% of the variance in emotion perception, understanding, and management, respectively. Taken together, these findings suggest that performance-based EI abilities form part of broader developmental processes while showing distinct associations with cognitive and communication abilities. They also highlight the potential value of integrating emotional learning with developmentally appropriate cognitive and communication activities in early educational settings to support children's socio-emotional development.