INS NYC 2024 Program

Poster	Poster Session 05 Program Schedule 02/15/2024 02:30 pm - 03:45 pm Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120) Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry \| Addiction/Dependence \| Stress/Coping \| Emotional/Social Processes Final Abstract #87 Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Managing Others’ Emotions Melissa Reich-Fuehrer, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States Lindsey Hildebrand, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States Gabriela Franca, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States Camryn Wellman, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States Shivani Desai, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States David Negelspach, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States William Killgore, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States Category: Emotional and Social Processes Keyword 1: emotional processes Keyword 2: social processes Objective: Emotional intelligence (EI) is defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of others. EI ability has been associated with interpersonal skills and can significantly impact an individuals’ ability to manage others’ emotions. Importantly, managing the emotions of others can include both positive (prosocial) and negative (non-prosocial) motivations. Understanding how emotional intelligence relates to interpersonal skills may provide valuable insight regarding self-awareness of professional or personal relationships and interactions that can apply to neuro-compromised individuals. As a first step in this direction, we assessed the components of EI that contribute to critical interpersonal skills. We hypothesized that higher EI would be positively associated with prosocial approaches and negatively with non-prosocial approaches of managing others’ emotions. Participants and Methods: A total of 165 healthy adults, 57 females (Mage=20.12, SD=2.543) and 108 males (Mage=20.35, SD=2.119) participated in this study. To assess overall EI ability we used the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) which comprises 4 branch scores: perceiving emotions (PE), facilitating thought (FT), understanding emotions (UE), and managing emotions (ME). Higher scores indicate greater EI ability. Participants also completed the Managing the Emotions of Others Scale (MEOS) which consists of 6 factors: Enhance, Worsen, Conceal, Inauthentic, Poor Skills, and Divert. Enhance and Divert have been identified as prosocial approaches while Worsen and Inauthentic are non-prosocial and Conceal and Poor Skills do not fall into either category. We conducted a series of stepwise linear regressions to assess if EI branches were associated with the 6 MEOS factors. Results: Stepwise linear regression revealed that the EI branch of perceiving emotions (PE) was associated with a higher MEOS approach of enhancing other’s emotions (β=.262, p=.026), which involves strategies such as offering help or reassurance, demonstrating understanding, and allowing the other person to express feelings. Conversely, a higher EI ability of managing emotions (ME) was associated with a lower MEOS approach of enhancing other’s emotions (β=-.408, p=.001). The total variance explained by this model was (R²=.118, F(2,94)=6.3, p=.003). Regarding the prosocial approach of diversion, the only significant predictor was perceiving emotion (PE) (β=.242, p=.017, R²= .058). Perceiving emotion (PE) also significantly predicted concealing (β=.331, p=.001, R²=.109) which is neither explicitly prosocial or non-prosocial. There were no EI ability branches that significantly predicted use of non-prosocial methods of managing others’ emotions or use of poor skills (p>.05). Conclusions: Greater EI ability of perceiving emotions significantly predicted an increase of enhancing others’ emotions and diverting, which are considered prosocial interpersonal skills. However, contrary to our hypothesis, a higher EI ability of managing emotions predicted a slight decrease in interpersonal methods aimed at enhancing others’ mood. This suggests that those with well-developed EI emotional management skills tend to rely less on strategies aimed simply at improving the mood of others. EI did not significantly predict any negative relationship with employing non-prosocial approaches. This indicates that a higher EI may significantly predict the degree of pro-social management strategies of other’s emotions such as mood enhancement, but has no significant effect on non- social approaches.

Poster

02/15/2024
02:30 pm - 03:45 pm
Room: Majestic Complex (Posters 61-120)

Poster Session 05: Neuropsychiatry | Addiction/Dependence | Stress/Coping | Emotional/Social Processes

Final Abstract #87

Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Managing Others’ Emotions

Melissa Reich-Fuehrer, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
Lindsey Hildebrand, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
Gabriela Franca, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
Camryn Wellman, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
Shivani Desai, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
David Negelspach, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States
William Killgore, University of Arizona, Tucson, United States

Category: Emotional and Social Processes

Keyword 1: emotional processes
Keyword 2: social processes

Objective:

Emotional intelligence (EI) is defined as the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage both your own emotions and the emotions of others. EI ability has been associated with interpersonal skills and can significantly impact an individuals’ ability to manage others’ emotions. Importantly, managing the emotions of others can include both positive (prosocial) and negative (non-prosocial) motivations. Understanding how emotional intelligence relates to interpersonal skills may provide valuable insight regarding self-awareness of professional or personal relationships and interactions that can apply to neuro-compromised individuals. As a first step in this direction, we assessed the components of EI that contribute to critical interpersonal skills. We hypothesized that higher EI would be positively associated with prosocial approaches and negatively with non-prosocial approaches of managing others’ emotions.

Participants and Methods:

A total of 165 healthy adults, 57 females (Mage=20.12, SD=2.543) and 108 males (Mage=20.35, SD=2.119) participated in this study. To assess overall EI ability we used the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) which comprises 4 branch scores: perceiving emotions (PE), facilitating thought (FT), understanding emotions (UE), and managing emotions (ME). Higher scores indicate greater EI ability. Participants also completed the Managing the Emotions of Others Scale (MEOS) which consists of 6 factors: Enhance, Worsen, Conceal, Inauthentic, Poor Skills, and Divert. Enhance and Divert have been identified as prosocial approaches while Worsen and Inauthentic are non-prosocial and Conceal and Poor Skills do not fall into either category. We conducted a series of stepwise linear regressions to assess if EI branches were associated with the 6 MEOS factors.

Results:

Stepwise linear regression revealed that the EI branch of perceiving emotions (PE) was associated with a higher MEOS approach of enhancing other’s emotions (β=.262, p=.026), which involves strategies such as offering help or reassurance, demonstrating understanding, and allowing the other person to express feelings. Conversely, a higher EI ability of managing emotions (ME) was associated with a lower MEOS approach of enhancing other’s emotions (β=-.408, p=.001). The total variance explained by this model was (R²=.118, F(2,94)=6.3, p=.003). Regarding the prosocial approach of diversion, the only significant predictor was perceiving emotion (PE) (β=.242, p=.017, R²= .058). Perceiving emotion (PE) also significantly predicted concealing (β=.331, p=.001, R²=.109) which is neither explicitly prosocial or non-prosocial. There were no EI ability branches that significantly predicted use of non-prosocial methods of managing others’ emotions or use of poor skills (p>.05).

Conclusions:

Greater EI ability of perceiving emotions significantly predicted an increase of enhancing others’ emotions and diverting, which are considered prosocial interpersonal skills. However, contrary to our hypothesis, a higher EI ability of managing emotions predicted a slight decrease in interpersonal methods aimed at enhancing others’ mood. This suggests that those with well-developed EI emotional management skills tend to rely less on strategies aimed simply at improving the mood of others. EI did not significantly predict any negative relationship with employing non-prosocial approaches. This indicates that a higher EI may significantly predict the degree of pro-social management strategies of other’s emotions such as mood enhancement, but has no significant effect on non- social approaches.