Peer-reviewed article
Emotional Intelligence and Well-being in Adolescents: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Llamas-Díaz D, Cabello R, Megías-Robles A, Fernández-Berrocal P ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and subjective well-being (SWB) in adolescents aged 10-19 years. The analysis of 41 studies found a consistent positive association between EI and both affective and cognitive components of well-being, with effect sizes of 0.35 and 0.29 respectively. The strength of the relationship varied by how emotional intelligence was measured, with self-report mixed models showing stronger associations than ability-based models. The authors conclude that training emotional intelligence in educational and clinical settings could enhance adolescent well-being and help prevent emotional disorders.
Key points
- Positive relationship between emotional intelligence and affective well-being (effect size 0.35) and cognitive well-being (effect size 0.29)
- Self-report mixed model of EI showed stronger associations with well-being (0.42 for affective, 0.38 for cognitive) than self-report ability model
- 41 studies were included in the systematic review, with 37 pooled in meta-analyses
- EI training in educational and clinical settings may increase adolescent well-being and prevent emotional disorders
- The review covered adolescents aged 10-19 years using instruments that directly measure subjective well-being
Limitations
The document does not specify which countries the studies were conducted in, nor does it discuss the quality of individual studies included or potential publication bias. The review focuses on correlational relationships and does not provide evidence on the effectiveness of specific EI interventions tested through controlled trials.
Abstract
Introduction Adolescent´s subjective well-being (SWB) can be improved through the training of emotional intelligence (EI). Objectives The goal of this study is to determine the general link between EI and SWB in adolescents, to analyze the affective (AWB) and cognitive components (CWB) of SWB, and to investigate the moderating effect of EI models on both types of SWB. Methods We searched PsycINFO and WOS from inception to December 2020. Eligible studies reported an association between EI and SWB in adolescents aged from 10 to 19 years using instruments that directly measure SWB. Two meta-analyses were conducted, one for the relationship between EI and AWB and the other for EI and CWB. Results A total of 41 studies were included, of which 37 were pooled in the meta-analyses. We obtained a significant positive relationship between EI and AWB (estimated effect size = 0.35) and between EI and CWB (0.29). Concerning EI models, self-report ability showed an estimated effect size of 0.33 for AWB and 0.28 for CWB. For the self-report mixed model, we found an estimated effect size of 0.42 for AWB and 0.38 for CWB. Conclusions Establishing a quantitative relationship between SWB and EI makes it possible to implement both clinical and educational prevention measures. Introducing EI training in educational and clinical settings can increase SWB, which could significantly impact the prevention of emotional disorders in adolescents. Disclosure No significant relationships.