Emotional Intelligence and Marital Quality: Dyadic Data on Croatian Sample

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine if emotional intelligence (EI) measured by tests and selfreports contribu tes to the explanation of self and partner's assessments of marital quality. Ninety eight married heterosexu al couples participated. Ea ch partner completed for itself measures of EI, quality of marriage, personality inventory and some socio-demographics. Models showed that socio-demographics, personality traits, and EI measure explained between 21% and 27% of own and partner's quality of marriage, with 5% -7% of specific contribution of EI measures to quality of marriage. Among EI measures, ability to regulate one's own and others' emotions was significant predictor of own and partner's quality of marriage, while self-reported measure of regulation and managing of emotions significantly predicted own quality of marriage. Other significant predictors were extraversion for both own and partner's quality of marriage, and agreeableness, length of acquaintance before marriage and cohabitation for partner's quality of marriage only.

Ability and Trait Emotional Intelligence: Do They Contribute to the Explanation of Prosocial Behaviour?

“…The mean values and standard deviations of TAE and ESCQ are in line with previous results on students’ sample [ 42 ], while the same coefficients of TUE are in line with those obtained in the study by Babić Čikeš and colleagues [ 40 ] on the sample of adults. The values of the cognitive empathy and emotional reactivity are in accordance with the values from the study by Wertag and Hanzec [ 49 ] on a Croatian sample of adult non-students.…”

“…To measure EI abilities, we applied two ability tests, one intended to measure the ability to understand emotions (Analysis of Emotions Test; TAE) [ 39 ], and another intended to measure the ability to manage emotions (Emotion Management Test; TUE) [ 40 ]. The EI questionnaire (ESCQ) was used to measure self-assessed EI [ 41 ].…”

“…A higher score indicates a better ability to understand emotions. The test was used on college student and adult samples and showed satisfactory psychometric properties [ 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 ]. Cronbach α coefficients of this and other instruments in this research are presented in Table 1 .…”

“…The Emotion Management Test (TUE) [ 40 ] was used to measure the ability to manage emotions in adults. The first version of the test was used to measure this ability in early adolescents [ 43 , 44 ].…”

“…The total score in the test is calculated as the sum of the points on all items, and a higher score indicates better management of emotions. Previous application of the test showed that it has satisfactory reliability and validity [ 40 ].…”