VALIDEZ CONVERGENTE Y DISCRIMINANTE DEL INVENTARIO DE COCIENTE EMOCIONAL (EQ-i)

REGNER, EVANGELINA

Interdisciplinaria

CIIPCA

Lugar: Capital Federal; Año: 2008

Resumen Desde la aparición del constructo de inteligencia emocional (Salovey & Mayer, 1990) el campo de las habilidades emocionales se ha ido ampliando notablemente, debido a la aparición de  diferentes conceptualizaciones, teorías e instrumentos de medición. Los desarrollos actuales se han centrado en el estudio de la validez de las pruebas utilizadas para medir la inteligencia emocional. El objetivo de la investigación que se informa fue estudiar la validez convergente y discriminante del Inventario de Cociente Emocional (EQ-i) de Bar-On (1997a; 1997b) en una muestra argentina de 100 personas adultas. Los instrumentos aplicados fueron:  el EQ-i, el Inventario Revisado de Personalidad NEO (NEO PI-R) de Costa y McCrae (1992) y la Prueba de Inteligencia o de Razonamiento Verbal (RV) de Bennett, Seashore y Wesman (1992). Para analizar los datos se realizaron correlaciones entre el EQ-i, el NEO PI-R y RV y regresiones múltiples por pasos sucesivos entre los factores de personalidad del NEO PI-R y las escalas de inteligencia emocional del EQ-i. Los resultados obtenidos revelaron correlaciones muy bajas entre el EQ-i e inteligencia verbal (RV) (r = .07 a .27); en cambio se observaron correlaciones significativas entre el EQ-i y los factores de la personalidad, especialmente entre el factor neuroticismo y el EQ-i (r = -.66 a - .72). Asimismo, se observó que los cinco factores del NEO PI-R predicen significativamente al EQ-i, siendo el factor Neuroticismo el  que más contribuye en la predicción del EQ-i. De acuerdo a la muestra estudiada se concluye que el (EQ-i) mide atributos que tienden a solaparse con los rasgos de personalidad. Palabras clave: Inteligencia emocional – EQ-i - Personalidad – NEO PI-R – Inteligencia verbal – RV. Abstract In the last few years, the construct emotional intelligence defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990) as a domain of abilities specifically linked to the perception and utilization of emotions, has been the main crux of different investigations that have made an effort to measure and study such a construct, yet there is not a consensus as regards its definition and model. Integrating the existing theories up to this moment, Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso, (2000) suggest that it is possible to distinguish the models based on the ability (Mayer, Di Paolo & Salovey, 1990; Mayer & Salovey, 1997), and the models based on features or mixed models (Goleman, 1996, 1999; Bar-On, 1997a, 1997b). Models that are founded on ability are based in the original conceptualization of emotional intelligence as defined by Salovey and Mayer (1990) and which is characterized as a set of abilities to perceive, understand and regulate emotions to be evaluated by means of tasks or tests of performance. On the other hand, mixed models, or based on features. of emotional intelligence, are those that consider the abilities associated with the processing and the use of emotions, combining those abilities with a wide variety of the aspects of the personality that are evaluated by means of measures of self-informed. Bearing in mind that the approximation to be used when measuring the emotional intelligence could influence the validity of the construct, the latest developments have been focused in the study of the psychometric properties of the tests. Specifically, most of the current investigation that is being done on the subject is centered on the study of what the test measure, on which is the most adequate method to measure the emotional intelligence and if the tests may be differentiated from other ones that measure abilities and aspects of the personality (Brackett & Mayer, 2003; Chapman & Hayslip, 2005; Palmer, 2003). Taking into account previous investigations which were done in other countries, the objective of the present investigation was to study the convergent and discriminant validity of a test of self-report of emotional intelligence – the Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) that is based on the mixed model or the feature of Reuven Bar-On (1997a; 1997b), in an Argentinean sample of 100 adult people of both sexes between 25 to 50 years of age. The EQ-i, the Revised Inventory of Personality NEO (NEO PI-R) by Costa and McCrae (1992), and the Trial of Intelligence or Verbal Reasoning (RV) by Bennet, Seashore and Wesman (1992) were administered. Correlations among EQ-i, NEO PI-R and RV and multiple regressions by successive step (stepwise) between the NEO PI-R personality factors and the EQ-I emotional intelligence scales were done in order to study the convergent and discriminant validity of the trial. The obtained results showed very low correlations between the EQ-i and verbal intelligence (RV); (r = .07 to .27); on the contrary, significant correlations between the EQ-I and the personality factors were observed, especially between the neuroticism factor and the EQ-I (r = -.66 to - .72).  Likewise, it was observed that the five factors of the NEO PI-R significantly contributed to the prediction of the EQ-I; being the neuroticism factor that had most contribution in the prediction of the EQ-I. According to the studied sample, we can conclude that the emotional quotient inventory (EQ-i) measures attributes more related with personality than with intelligence. The results of this study provide further support that the EQ-I is not easily distinguished from the Big Five. Indeed, they are similar with other studies done in different countries about validity of the measurement of emotional intelligence. Key words: Emotional intelligence - EQ-i – Personality – NEOPI R - Verbal intelligence –RV.