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branches are functions such as verbal and non verbal appraisal and expression of emotion
and using emotions to motivate as part of the utilisation of emotions. Mayer, Salovey,
and Caruso (2004) have since refined their 1990 model, but the basic aspects of
emotional intelligence proposed in the newer model remain similar to those of the 1990
model.
The Assessing Emotions Scale attempts to assess characteristic, or trait, emotional
intelligence. In their 1990 model, Salovey and Mayer described emotional intelligence as
a mix of what might be considered abilities and traits. More recently, Mayer and Salovey
(Mayer et al., 2004; Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, & Sitarenios, 2003) have argued for a pure
ability conceptualization of emotional intelligence. Such an ability conceptualization is
associated with a measurement approach that focuses on latent abilities assessed through
performance tasks.
Other theorists and researchers (Neubauer & Freudenthaler, 2005; Petrides &
Furnham, 2001, 2003) have argued that emotional intelligence can be usefully
conceptualised as typical (or trait) functioning. A trait approach to assessing emotional
intelligence draws on self or other reports to gather information regarding the display of
emotional intelligence characteristics in daily life. Even though some literature presents
ability and trait conceptualisations of emotional intelligence as mutually exclusive
alternatives (e.g., Mayer, Salovey & Caruso., 2000), we believe that both are important
and complementary dimensions of adaptive emotional functioning.
analytic studies focusing on the structure of the scale have also found a one factor
solution (Brackett & Mayer, 2003), in some cases as having reasonable fit along with a fit
for subfactors (Ciarrochi, Chan, and Bajgar, 2001) or as a higher order factor with
associated subfactors (Gignac, Palmer, Manocha, & Stough, 2005), while other studies
have suggested, based on identification of factors within the scale, focus on subfactors
rather than a higher order factor (Petrides & Furnham, 2000; Saklofske, Austin, &
Minski, 2003). The subscales based on this identification of factors will be discussed
below.
The most widely used subscales derived from the 33-item Assessing Emotions
Scale are those based on factors identified by Petrides and Furnham (2000), Ciarrochi et
al. (2001), and Saklofske et al. (2003). These factor analytic studies suggested a fourfactor solution for the 33 items. The four factors were described as follows: perception of
emotions, managing emotions in the self, social skills or managing others emotions, and
utilizing emotions. The items comprising the subscales based on these factors (Ciarrochi
et al., 2001) are as follows: Perception of Emotion (items 5, 9, 15, 18, 19, 22, 25, 29, 32,
33), Managing Own Emotions (items 2, 3, 10, 12, 14, 21, 23, 28, 31), Managing Others
Emotions (items 1, 4, 11, 13, 16, 24, 26, 30), and Utilization of Emotion (items 6, 7, 8,
17, 20, 27). All 33 items are included in one of these four subscales. While subsequent
factor analytic studies (Chapman & Hayslip, 2006; Saklofske et al., 2003) have provided
support for the factors that form the basis for the subscales, there has been some variation
in what items load on the factors. Further, using exploratory factor analysis, Austin,
Saklofske, Huang and McKinney (2004) found the 33-item scale items grouped into just
three factors.
Sample Means and Standard Deviations
Means and standard deviations obtained on the Assessing Emotions Scale for
various samples of participants provide information on central tendencies and
distributions for different groups. Table 2 shows means and standard deviations on the
total scale for various samples. In some cases the means reported in the research article
or chapter were the average of all scale items rather than the sum of scale items. So that
the means from different samples on the total scale score can easily be compared, the
mean scores reported in Table 2 are converted to summed scores.
Several studies have reported means and standard deviations on total scale scores
separately for men and women. Generally these studies have found that women score
somewhat higher on the measure than men. In some studies this difference has been
statistically significant (e.g., Carmeli & Josman, 2006; Ciarrochi et al., 2001; Pau &
Croucher, 2003; Van Rooy, Alonso & Viswaran, 2005; Saklofske, Austin, Galloway &
Davidson, 2007; Schutte et al., 1998); in other studies the difference has not been
statistically significant (e.g., Saklofske, Austin & Minski, 2003; Schutte, Malouff, Bobik,
Coston, Greeson, Jedlicka, Rhodes & Wendorf, 2001; Wing, Schutte & Byrne, 2006).
Table 3 provides a selection of mean scores for males and females reported for different
samples.
Ciarrochi et al. (2001) reported mean scores and standard deviations for a sample
of adolescents on the four subscales they identified and Ciarrochi, Deanne and Anderson
(2002) reported mean scores and standard deviations for three of the subscales for a
sample of university students.
comprising the scale, allowing for comparison between scales with differing numbers of
items, were as follows for 131 Australian adolescents: Perception of Emotion (M=3.57,
consistency for the Utilization scale was low, it was not used in the Ciarrochi et al. (2002)
study and means were not reported for the scale.
Perception of Emotion, .76, .80; Managing Own Emotions, .63, .78; Managing Others
Emotions, .66, .66 and Utilisation of Emotion, .55, (the alpha for this scale was not
reported in Ciarrochi et al., 2002).
Test-retest reliability
Schutte et al. (1998) reported a two-week test-retest reliability of .78 for total
scale scores.
Evidence of Validity
Convergent Validity.
Emotions Scale and other measures of emotional functioning. The results of these studies
provide some evidence regarding the validity of the Assessing Emotions Scale. Schutte
et al. (1998) found that scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale were substantially related
to greater attention to emotions, greater clarity of emotions, and less alexithymia (which
involves lack of awareness of emotion and inability to express emotion). Brackett and
Mayer (2003) found that scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale were correlated with
scores on the EQ-i, another self-report measure of emotional intelligence that is based on
a broader definition of emotional intelligence and with the MSCEIT (a performance test
of emotional intelligence). The relationship between Assessing Emotions Scale scores
and the EQ-i was substantial, at r = .43, while the relationship between Assessing
Emotions Scale scores and the MSCEIT, although statistically significant, was not strong
at r = .18. Bastian, Burns and Nettelbeck (2005) found that scores on the Assessing
Emotions Scale were related to attention to emotions, clarity of emotions and repair of
emotions.
Bastian et al. (2005) did not find Assessing Emotions Scale scores to be
Numerous studies have explored how scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale are
associated with outcomes one might expect to be related to emotional intelligence. Such
outcomes are found in various life realms including mental health, employment, and
academic pursuits.
scores related to more optimism, greater impulse control, lack of depressed affect
(Schutte et al., 1998), more empathic perspective taking, greater self-monitoring in social
situations, more closeness and warmth in relationships, and greater marital satisfaction
(Schutte, et al., 2001).
associated with less debilitating fatigue (Brown & Schutte, 2006), better supervisor rated
task performance and better organisational citizenship (Carmeli & Josman, 2006), less
depression (Oginska-Bulik, 2005), and greater life satisfaction (Wing, Schutte & Byrne,
2006).
Divergent Validity. Ideally, measures of emotional intelligence will contribute
information about adaptive emotional functioning that is distinct from information
provided by other recognised concepts, such as compliance with social norms or major
personality constructs. Self-report measures of emotional intelligence in particular may
be open to respondents giving what they perceive as socially desirable responses,
resulting in self-report scales assessing how compliant with social norms a respondent is
rather than the respondents perception of his or her emotional functioning. Under
conditions of confidential responding, such tendencies towards normative responding
does not seem to influence scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale; Kirk, Schutte and
Hine (2007) found that scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale were not associated with
scores on the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.
Several studies have examined the relationship between scores on the Assessing
Emotions Scale and the Big Five Dimensions. Five dimensions, extraversion (surgency),
agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability (the low end of which has been
termed neuroticism), and openness, seem to underlie many characteristic traits (Goldberg,
1993; John & Srivastava, 1999; McCrae & Costa, 1999). These Big Five dimensions
have been repeatedly identified in factor analytic studies examining individual
differences (John & Srivastava, 1999; McCrae & Costa, 1999).
Ideally, measures of psychological constructs such as emotional intelligence are
relatively distinct from these dimensions. Schutte et al. (1998), Brackett and Mayer
(2003), and Bastian et al. (2005) respectively reported the following correlations between
the Assessing Emotions Scale and each of the Big Five Dimensions: extraversion, .28,
.32, .61; agreeableness, .26, .09, .23; conscientiousness, .21, .25, .32; emotional stability,
.28, .19, .37; and openness, .54, .43, .43. These correlations indicate that across studies
scores on the Assessing Emotions Scale are relatively distinct from scores on each of the
Big Five Dimensions. Openness had the highest average association with the Assessing
Emotions Scale, .47, indicating shared variance (r squared) of about 22%.
Practical Considerations
Use with Different Populations
The Assessing Emotions Scale has been used in many studies of emotional
intelligence and has been much written about, as indicated by over 200 publications listed
in the PsycINFO database as citing the article that first described the scale. The scale has
been used with respondents from a variety of populations. The development sample of
participants consisted of adults of a range of ages. Most subsequent studies have used the
measure with adults. Ciarochi et al. (2001) found that the scale had good psychometric
properties when used with Australian adolescents, Charbonneau and Nicol (2002) used
the scale with Canadian adolescents, and Liau, Liau, Teoh, and Liau (2003) used the
scale with Malaysian adolescents. As the reading grade level of the scale is that typical
of students in their fifth year of school (Schutte et al.,1998), as assessed by the FleschKincaid reading level formula, it seems reasonable to use the scale with adolescents.
The Assessing Emotions Scale was first developed and validated as an English
language scale and the majority of studies using the scale have focused on participants
from English speaking countries. It seems that the scale has potential in translated
versions. Findings from studies using translations of the scale to languages such as
Hebrew and Polish show that these other language versions of the scale result in
hypothesised findings, such as that Assessing Emotions Scale scores are related to better
supervisor-rated work performance (Carmeli & Josman, 2006) and less perceived work
stress (Oginska-Bulik, 2005).
Purpose of Assessment
The purpose of the assessment should be kept in mind when deciding whether to
use the Assessing Emotions Scale. Schutte et al. (1998) suggested that the scale might
appropriately be used for research purposes and to assist individuals who are motivated to
self-reflect on aspects of their emotional functioning in the context of issues such as
career goals or experience of problems that may be related to emotional functioning. As
the items on the scale are transparent and respondents may perceive some answers as
more socially desirable than others, Schutte et al. (1998) suggested that the scale is not
appropriate for use with individuals who have an incentive to present themselves in a
socially desirable manner. Even though Kirk et al. (2007) found that Assessing Emotions
Scale scores were not related to social desirability responding, the participants in this
study provided information under confidential conditions and had no incentive to provide
responses they perceived as socially desirable. We recommend that the scale not be used
in contexts, such as employment screening, in which respondents may be motivated to
present themselves in a particular fashion. In situations in which respondents may be
motivated to give what they perceive to be desirable answers, performance test measures
of emotional intelligence, such as the
Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983), state assessments of emotional intelligence
may be developed.
The interactionist approach to human functioning (e.g., Mishel, 1977) posits that
most behaviour is the result of the interplay of individual traits and the influence of
situations. Situations may have inherent qualities that elicit similar behaviours, thoughts
and emotions in the majority of individuals who encounter these situations.
Such
References
Abraham, R. (2000). The role of job control as a moderator of emotional dissonance and
emotional-intelligence-outcome relationships. The Journal of Psychology, 134,
169-184.
Austin, E.J., Saklofske, D.H., Huang, S.H.S., & McKenney, D. (2004). Measurement
of trait emotional intelligence: Testing and cross-validating a modified version of
Schutte et al.s (1998) measure. Personality and Individual Differences, 36, 555562.
Bar-On, R. (2000).
Carmelli, A. & Josman, Z.E. (2006). The relationship between emotional intelligence,
task performance and organizational citizenship behaviors. Human Performance,
19, 403-419.
Chapman, B.P. & Hayslip, B. Jr. (2006). Emotional intelligence in young and middle
adulthood: Cross-sectional analysis of latent structure and means. Psychology and
Aging, 21, 411-418.
Charbonneau,
D. & Nicol,
A.A.M. (2002).
N.M. (2002).
The Leadership
(2003). States
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Schutte, N.S., Malouff, J.M., Simunek, M., Hollander, S., & McKenley, J. (2002).
Characteristic emotional intelligence and emotional well-being.
Cognition and
Psychology Press.
Tett, R.P., Fox, K.E., & Wang, A. (2005). Development and validation of a self-report
measure of emotional intelligence as a multidimensional trait domain. Personality
and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31, 859-888.
Thingujam, N.K.S. & Ram, U. (2000). Emotional intelligence scale: Indian norms.
G.
(2003).
Social
Table 1
The Assessing Emotions Scale
Directions: Each of the following items asks you about your emotions or reactions
associated with emotions. After deciding whether a statement is generally true for you,
use the 5-point scale to respond to the statement. Please circle the 1 if you strongly
disagree that this is like you, the 2 if you somewhat disagree that this is like you, 3 if
you neither agree nor disagree that this is like you, the 4 if you somewhat agree that
this is like you, and the 5 if you strongly agree that this is like you.
There are no right or wrong answers. Please give the response that best describes you.
1 = strongly disagree
2 = somewhat disagree
3 = neither agree nor disagree
4 = somewhat agree
5 = strongly agree
1. I know when to speak about my personal problems to others.
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
8. Emotions are one of the things that make my life worth living.
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
29. I know what other people are feeling just by looking at them.
1 2 3 4 5
30. I help other people feel better when they are down.
1 2 3 4 5
31. I use good moods to help myself keep trying in the face of
obstacles.
1 2 3 4 5
32. I can tell how people are feeling by listening to the tone
of their voice.
1 2 3 4 5
1 2 3 4 5
Table 2
Internal Consistency, Means and Standard Deviations for the Assessing Emotions Scale
Author
Sample
Country of
Data
Collection
Scale
Alpha
Mean
SD
Abraham , 2000
79 customer service
employees
United States
.89
Austin, Saklofske,
Huang, & McKenney,
2004
500 university
students
Canada
.84
246 university
students
Australia
.89
123.80
12.50
207 university
students
United States
.93
123.42
14.52
167 university
students
Australia
.85
126.51
11.61
Carmeli, 2003
98 senior managers
Israel
.90
122.43
12.21
Israel
.83
126.39
12.21
134 adolescents
Canada
.84
124.41
14.52
131 adolescents
Australia
.84
120.45
13.86
11 women with
binge eating
disorder undergoing
treatment
New Zealand
113.40 at
pre,
122.50 at
post
19.50
Depape, Hakim-Larson,
Voelker, Page, &
Jackson, 2006
125 university
students
Canada
.85
127.78
12.38
566 university
students
United States
.78
122.27
12.44
465 mothers of
university students
United States
.86
122.41
401 fathers of
university students
United States
.83
117.66
203 adolescents
Malaysia
.76
132.08
11.14
Newcombe &
Ashkanasy, 2002
537 university
business students
Australia
.88
94.57**
13.60
Oginska-Bulk, 2005
Poland
123.58
15.15
223 university
students
United States
117.54
14.90
141 community
members and
students
Australia
121.54
17.18
Saklofske, Austin,
Galloway, & Davidson,
2007
258 female
university students
Canada
123.96
14.40
Canada
119.29
12.66
362 university
students
49 university
students in
emotional
intelligence training
program
Canada
126.88
at pre,
134.05
at post
14.39
103 university
students in a control
condition
United States
130.79
at pre,
131.35 at
post
13.73
40 retail employees
United States
130.00
14.99
Schutte, Malouff,
Simunek, McKenley, &
Hollander, 2002
United States
.90
.90
15.49
18.14
50 students and
employees
United States
133.46
14.62
47 students and
employees
United States
131.17
14.37
346 community
members and
university students
United States
.90
128.86
15.57
32 university
students
United States
.87
United States
126.88
12.18
37 teaching interns
United States
142.51
9.46
77 community
members and
university students
United States
132.84
12.37
38 employees and
university students
United States
131.61
14.23
43 community
members and
university students
United States
131.56
15.67
37 married
employees
276 university
students
United States
121.13
13.18
Australia
122.10
12.87
Sjoberg, 2001
226 prospective
university students
Sweden
.79
India
.89
121.69
13.84
518 female
university students
India
126.43
14.78
18 customer service
employees
United
Kingdom
.89
127.39
13.66
275 university
students
United States
.87
129.46
14.21
175 community
members and
university students
Australia
.88
Yurtsever, 2003
71 university
students
Turkey
.95
Yurtsever, 2003
78 university
students
Turkey
.94
Yurtsever, 2003
94 university
lecturers
Turkey
.95
61 baseball players
United States
128.60
11.25
Table 3
Means and Standard Deviations for Males and Females on the Assessing Emotions Scale
Author
Sample
Male N
Male
Mean
Male SD
Female N
Female
Mean
Female
SD
Charbonneau &
Nicol, 2002
Canadian
adolescents
72
121.77
15.81
62
127.38
13.53
73
115.00
58
126.72
British dental
students
103
115.10
16.37
110
119.82
13.05
Saklofske et al.,
2003
Canadian
university
students
119
121.70
13.83
235
124.25
13.22
Saklofske et al.,
2007
Canadian
university
students
104
119.29
12.66
258
123.96
14.40
United States
adults
111
124.78
16.52
218
130.94
15.09
United States
university
students
59
127.15
12.82
216
130.09
14.53