The role of emotional intelligence and negative affect as protective and risk factors of aggressive behavior: A moderated mediation model

Abstract

The General Aggression Model (GAM) offers an integrative explanation of the aggressive behavior based on three stages: 1) inputs: personal and situational factors; 2) routes or individual internal states: affect, cognition, and arousal; and 3) outcomes: decision processes with a (non) aggressive result. Researchers are interested in looking for protective factors within the GAM to diminish aggression. Previous studies have found two relevant variables acting independently as risk and protective factors: emotional intelligence (EI) and negative affect (NA). The aim of the present study is to analyze a moderated mediation model including these variables as an explanation of aggressive behavior and integrate it within the GAM. Four hundred and six participants were assessed on EI, NA, and aggression. The moderated mediation analysis showed a significant negative indirect effect of the perceiving EI branch on total aggression mediated through NA levels, which, in turn, was moderated by the managing EI branch. Moreover, this relationship was also observed for the physical, anger, and hostility sub-scales of aggression. Our study demonstrates the importance of having a high ability to perceive emotions as a protective factor in the first stage of the GAM. These individuals will present lower NA in the second stage of the model, resulting in a reduction in aggression. Moreover, having a high ability to perceive emotions is particularly relevant for individuals that are less able to manage emotions, given that those participants with higher scores on the managing EI branch can reduce their aggressive behavior by mitigating the effect of NA on aggression in the third stage of the GAM.

Protecting Nurses from Mistreatment by Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Roles of Emotional Contagion Susceptibility and Emotional Regulation Ability

“…Therefore, it is important to explore how to reduce the harm caused by mistreatment by patients from the nurses’ perspective. In order to answer this question, we extend our theorizing by identifying the ability to perceive and regulate the negative emotions brought about by mistreatment, both of which may be important for nurses to handle the emotional demands of the nursing work and thus provide good quality care for patients [ 24 , 25 ]. One important individual difference is that, related to the susceptibility to perceive the negative emotion brought about by mistreatment, is emotional contagion susceptibility, which is the tendency to detect and mimic other people’s expressions, movements, postures, and vocalizations, leading to emotional convergence [ 26 ].…”

How perceived organizational politics cause work-to-family conflict? Scoping and systematic review of literature

“…86]. Satisfaction or happiness level of emotionally intelligent employees is high because they can neglect negative emotions and prolong the positive/pleasant state of emotions [42,56]. PWB is a pleasant or satisfied state of mind [125].…”

“…PWB is a pleasant or satisfied state of mind [125]. Emotional intelligence controls the negative affectivity by lowering its symptoms such as aggression and anger [56]. The theory of Salovey and Mayer [124] claims that emotional intelligence positively predicts the PWB of employees because it holds the flow of negative emotions and nourishes optimism [12,30,33,127].…”

Subjective Emotional Well-Being, Emotional Intelligence, and Mood of Gifted vs. Unidentified Students: A Relationship Model

“…Among the personal factors, we consider emotional intelligence (EI) to be relevant. It may play a fundamental role in the academic success of students and in their ability to adjust in the classroom, and it may also become a protective factor in adaptation processes and against aggression, for example [22,23]. The literature shows that EI is associated with positive mood [24].…”

“…Young people with high EI have more positive social relationships and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors [41]. Emotional skills predict a wide range of outcomes related to adaptation, and coping with stress and well-being act as protective factors against aggression [23]. Thus, the perception, understanding, and management of emotions can play a role in the academic success of students [42] and their inclusion in the classroom [22].…”