Research
Investigate the developmental stages of EI in children and adolescents
and establish developmental norms using the SUEIT test of EI.
Research the environmental, biological and neurological factors
influencing the development of emotions, their functions and consequently
their manifestations in influencing cognition and behaviour.
Examine the influence of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in all
aspects of the school and family systems.
Attract honours and postgraduate students to be involved in
research within the unit.
Continually evaluate the developmental programs and measures
of EI for use within the family and school systems.
Intervention
Design and evaluate programs for the development of EI in children and adolescents.
Training and Education
Provide training and accreditation to teachers, student welfare coordinators
and educational psychologists in the delivery of development programs.
Conduct seminars to inform education professionals about the
importance of emotional intelligence with the school system.
Conduct workshops for the development of EI and leadership abilities
in principals and leading teachers.
Consultation
Provide support for schools through consultation in regards
to EI in schools.
Work with schools to design, implement and evaluate research
to evaluate programs, student outcomes and learning-teaching relationships.
Dissemination of knowledge
Publish research in international peer reviewed journals.
Present research at conferences both within Australia and internationally.
Present research outcomes to the general public through popular
media and public seminars.
Emotional Intelligence in the workplace
The EIRU has an extensive research program on the utility of
emotional intelligence in the work-place, the development of an
empirical model of emotional intelligence; and the development
of a work-place specific measure of emotional intelligence - the
Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT; Palmer & Stough,
2001). Concerning the utility of emotional intelligence in the
work-place, the EIRU is currently examining the relationship between
emotional intelligence and various aspects of individual, work-team
and leadership performance.
The EIRU has also been the first to examine the measurement properties
of a wide number of emotional intelligence tests with a large population
sample that is representative of the socio-economic break down
and cultural diversity of the Australian population. Measures we
have examined and provide Australian norms for include: (1) the
Mayer, Salovey, Caruso Emotional Intelligence test (MSCEIT; Mayer,
Salovey & Caruso,
1999); (2) the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (Bar-On, 1997);
(3) the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (Salovey et al., 1995); (4) the twenty-item
Toronto Alexithymia Scale-II (TAS-20; Bagby, Taylor & Parker,
1994); (5) the scale by Schutte et al (1998); and finally, (6)
the scale by Tett et al., (1997). We have gathered data on all
these tests collectively and can provide comparative information
on each.
The Work-place SUEIT
The EIRU is currently undertaking a number of validation studies
with the work-place SUEIT. Such studies are examining the relationship
between emotional intelligence and individual, work-team, and leadership
performance across a large number of industries in both the public
and the private sectors. Other criterion variables include in these
studies include measures of personality, trust, performance indicators
and leadership. These studies are being run in conjunction with
a number of leading human resource firms including SACS Consulting
Group, Waite Group, Coyne Didsbury Consulting Psychologists and
Career Focus.
Emotional Intelligence Development Programs
A recent study by PhD student Lisa Gardner involved the development,
implementation and evaluation of an EI training program for teachers
from various educational sectors (primary, secondary and tertiary).
Seventy-nine teachers participated in a 5-week psycho-educational
EI training program. The results indicated that EI improved after
the training program, that occupational stress decreased and
feelings of psychological and physical health increased.
The findings supported the notion that EI can be learned and developed.
Emotional Intelligence and Adolescent Classroom Behaviour
Until recently, few studies concerning disruptive behaviour have
been conducted in Australia (Arbuckle & Little, 2004). Disruptive
behaviour involves activities that interrupt the learning process
thereby causing distress for both teachers and peers. Perspectives
in this area tend to concentrate on behaviours that are the most
frequent and troublesome to teachers.
Differing levels of student EI may explain the variation in disruptive
behaviour. Emotional intelligence (EI) involves the ability to
recognise and manage one's own emotions and read and deal effectively
with other peoples' feelings (Goleman 1995). While few studies
have focused on the link between emotional intelligence and classroom
behaviour, researchers have recently assessed the role of emotionality
in disruptive behaviour (Cook, Greenberg & Kusche, 1994; Schultz,
2003).
Students participating in this project will complete questionnaires
including demographic information, self-reports of classroom behaviour,
a checklist of major life events and questions relating to dealing
with emotions. Teachers will rate three students who demonstrate
a range of low, medium and high levels of disruptive behaviour.
Student and teacher data will be analysed together to determine
whether the dimensions of EI predict student disruptive behaviour,
while controlling for the influence of major life events.
There are several anticipated benefits stemming from this research.
As this project is one of several in EI and education conducted
at Swinburne University, together they may lay the groundwork for
future EI developmental programs. Importantly, this research will
provide information for educators and school communities to more
effectively develop the social and emotional abilities of students.
This study may also provide an empirical basis on which to build
the foundations of an EI development program for students.
Secondary benefits of an EI program may include reduction in classroom
disruption, improved academic performance, higher levels of school
engagement and higher school retention rates. Reduced levels of
classroom disruption may also lessen teacher stress and time spent
on classroom management, allowing for more time for curricular activities.
As students become employees in the future, enhanced skills in dealing
with emotions will help them to participate as productive members
in the workforce.
Investigation of Emotional Intelligence and Academic Achievement
Emotional Intelligence (EI) is an increasingly popular construct
and has been thought to be responsible for success in just about
every aspect of a person's life (Goleman, 1995). However, only very
few studies have conducted research attempting to substantiate this
claim.
The study of academic success has generated sizable literature,
mainly focusing on the impact of cognitive abilities and personality
on academic success. The capacity of cognitive ability and personality
to predict academic success is limited, accounting for 30% of variability
in academic grades at most. Seventy per cent of the variance remains
to be explained.
Recently, a number of studies have investigated the impact of
adolescent EI on academic success (Newsome, Day, & Catano, 2000;
Lam & Kirby, 2002; Barchard, 2003; Furnham, 2004; Petrides,
Frederickson, Parker, Summerfeldt, Hogan, & Majeski, 2004;).
These studies have had mixed results, possibly due to differences
in the reliability and validity of the EI tests used.
The aim of this project is to develop an understanding of the
role of EI in adolescents. Specifically, we will use school grades
to examine the relationship between EI and academic achievement.
The students' EI level will be measured using the Adolescent Swinburne
University Emotional Intelligence Test ( ), a valid and reliable
self-report questionnaire developed specifically for Australian
adolescents.
The study will also assess the relationship between:
Adolescent self-rated emotional intelligence and teacher ratings of
student's perceived emotional intelligence
Student's and parent's EI
The study will also be examining the role other factors such as:
Coping skills
Major life events
Student perceptions of teacher interactions
Emotional Intelligence Development Programs (adolescents)
Progress in school and completing a secondary education is widely
accepted as an important developmental task for adolescents, and
success is important for later life (Jessor, Turbin & Costa,
1998). Teese (2002) identified low academic achievement, not getting
along with teachers and not fitting in socially as contributing
to low satisfaction with school, leading to early school leaving.
Emotional intelligence appears to underpin these factors.
Higher levels of emotional intelligence are related to:
Better academic performance (Lam & Kirby, 2002)
Better social support and satisfaction with social support (Ciarrochi
et al, 2001)
Lower levels of emotional intelligence are related to:
·Unauthorised school absences (Petrides, 2004)
While intelligence (IQ) is thought to be fairly fixed and relatively
impervious to the effects of education, it appears that emotional
intelligence can be developed at any age. Recent research on brain
development suggests that adolescence is a critical period for the
development of emotional intelligence.
Our vision is to develop an evidence-based program to be conducted
by educational and mental health professionals for the development
of emotional intelligence in adolescents.
Development of adolescents' emotional competencies is likely to
enhance:
- Peer, teacher and family relationships
- School engagement
- Academic achievement
- Pro-social behaviour.
- Psychological health
- Ongoing life-satisfaction
These programs may also provide an arena for mature discussion
of issues relevant to adolescents including:
Conflict resolution
Relationships and sexuality
Drug education
Suicide prevention
Racism
Bullying
Measures of Emotional Intelligence
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/lss/bsi/eiu/measuresei.htm
The work-place SUEITTM
The work-place SUEIT is a self-report inventory that indexes the
way people typically think, feel and act with emotions at work according
to our empirically-based five-factor model of emotional intelligence.
It provides an overall score that indicates individual's general
work-place emotional intelligence and five sub-scale scores that
indicate individuals more specific capacities according to the five
dimensions of the model. There are a balanced number of positively
and negatively phrased items that help determine inconsistent response
patterns and illogical responding.
Test takers respond to the items of the test on a five-point scale
that asks them to indicate the extent to which the statements (items)
are true of the way they typically think, feel and act at work (1
= never, 2 = seldom, 3 = sometimes, 4 = usually, 5 = always). At
64 items, the work-place SUEIT takes around 15 minutes to complete.
Scoring of the work-place SUEIT is performed by the Emotional
Intelligence Research Unit at Swinburne University. The work-place
SUEIT response booklet is a scannable form. Individual's results
are scanned and entered directly into a data-base.
The EIRU produces three types of different interpretative reports
from responses to the work-place SUEIT: (1) Individual Profile,
(2) Work-Team Profile and (3) Management Report. According to the
requirements of the organisation these are mailed back accordingly
once the responses have been scored. Members of the EIRU liaise
with organisations providing oral presentations and summations of
findings to management and individuals who responded on the work-place
SUEIT according to the specific requirements of the organisation.
To view a copy of the workplace SUEIT please click here
The Adolescent SUEITTM
The EI research unit has also developed a self-report measure
of adolescent emotional intelligence - The Adolescent Swinburne
University Emotional Intelligence Test (Adolescent-SUEIT). To view
a copy of the Adolescent-SUEIT please click
Journals
Downey, L. A., Papageorgiou, V., & Stough, C. (2006). Examining
the relationship between leadership, emotional intelligence and
intuition in senior female managers. Leadership and Organization
Development Journal, 27(4), 250-264.
Downey, L. A., Godfrey, J., Hansen, D., & Stough, C. (2006).
The Impact of Social Desirability and Expectation of Feedback
on Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace. E-Journal of Applied
Psychology.
Luebbers, S., Downey, L. A., & Stough, C. (2007). The development
of an adolescent measure of EI. Personality and Individual Differences,
42(6), 999-1009.
Conference Abstracts
Downey, Luke A., Lee, Brett, & Stough, Con.
Predicting Revenue: Is it a Question of Being Smart, Personable,
or People Smart? ISIR 2006 * San Francisco, 14/12/06 * 16/12/06
Emotional Intelligence Symposium
Ryan, Maree, Stough, Con, Downey, Luke A., Care, Esther & Griffin,
Patrick.
The Influence of Emotional Intelligence on Gifted and Mainstream
Adolescents Academic Achievement. ISIR 2006 * San Francisco, 14/12/06
* 16/12/06
Emotional Intelligence Symposium
Downey, Luke A. & Stough, Con.
Does Emotional Intelligence Predict Scholastic Achievement in
Adolescents?
ISIR 2005 Albuquerque, 01/12/05 * 03/12/05
swin.edu.au