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By:
Carolyn MacCann email the author, Yixin Jiang, Luke E. R. Brown, Kit S.
Double, Micaela Bucich, Amirali Minbashian, MacCann, C., Jiang, Y.,
Brown, L. E. R., Double, K. S., Bucich, M., & Minbashian, A. (2020).
Emotional intelligence predicts academic performance: A Meta-Analysis.
Psychological Bulletin, 146(2), 150–186.
https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000219
Social and Emotional Competence
Bar-On’s model of social and emotional competence was developed to
represent ―key components of effective emotional and social functioning
that lead to psychological well-being‖ (Bar-On, 2000, p. 364).
There are five major domains of emotional and social competence:
 interpersonal competence
 intrapersonal competence
 stress management
 adaptability and
 general mood
The Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) instrument is based on this
model, and contains 15 subscales that are unevenly distributed across
these five domains:
1) intrapersonal competence (self-awareness and self-expression)
contains five subscales—self-regard, emotional self-awareness,
assertiveness, independence, and self-actualization;
2) interpersonal competence (social awareness and interpersonal
relationships), contains three subscales—empathy, social
responsibility, and interpersonal relationship;
3) stress management (emotion management and regulation)
contains two subscales—stress tolerance and impulse control;
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4) adaptability (change management) contains three subscales—
reality testing, flexibility, and problem solving; and
(5) general mood (self-motivation) contains two subscales—optimism
and happiness (Bar-On, 2006).
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the items provided
support for only 10 of the 15 subscales. Both of the general mood
subscales, two of the five intrapersonal competence subscales and the
social responsibility subscale of interpersonal competence were not
supported. However, they were retained in the instrument as facilitators
of social and emotional competence (Bar-On, 2000, 2006).
A youth version of the EQ-i is also available, and the EQ-i has frequently
been used in peer-reviewed research linking EI to academic performance.
EQ-i scores correlate very highly with personality traits. For example, EQ-i
total scores correlate at -.62 to -.72 with neuroticism (Dawda & Hart,
2000), .52 to .56 with extraversion, and -.76 with anxiety (a facet of
neuroticism; Dawda & Hart, 2000; O’Connor & Little, 2003).