Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health in the Family: The Influence of Emotional Intelligence Perceived by Parents and Children

María Trinidad Sánchez-Núñez, Noelia García-Rubio, Pablo Fernández-Berrocal and José Miguel Latorre
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María Trinidad Sánchez-Núñez: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Castilla La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Noelia García-Rubio: Department of Economics and Statistics (DHEP), Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Castilla La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain
Pablo Fernández-Berrocal: Department of Basic Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Málaga, 29071, Málaga, Spain
José Miguel Latorre: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla La Mancha, 02006 Albacete, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-21

Abstract: Introduction: The relevant scientific literature has confirmed the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and mental health. In addition, previous studies have underlined the importance of perceived EI between family members in the construction of one’s own EI. Adolescence is considered to be a crucial stage in identity construction and a time when mental health is vulnerable. Objectives: To analyze the mediating role of self-reported EI on mental health of adolescents and young adults still living in the family home, we considered the relationship between perceived EI in parents and children. Method: The sample was comprised of 170 children and their respective fathers and mothers living in the same family home. Self-reported EI was evaluated using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24), whereas perceived EI was evaluated via the Perceived Emotional Intelligence Scale-24 (PTMM-24) and mental health using the MH-5. Results: Parents’ perceived EI of their children also children’s perceived EI of their parents has a direct effect on children’s mental health and an indirect effect through the EI self-reported by children. We discuss the differences in the role of mothers and fathers in emotional education and its influence on the results. Conclusions: We highlight the importance of perceived EI among family members, over and above the self-reported EI of each member, for its predictive power on the mental health of children.

Keywords: self-reported emotional intelligence; perceived emotional intelligence; mental health; family; parents; mothers; children; adolescents (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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