The importance of trait emotional intelligence in students’ stress
The importance of trait emotional intelligence in students’ stress

Summary/Abstract: The trait emotional intelligence (TEI) is considered to be different from the ability emotional intelligence, being conceptualized as a constellation of emotional self-perceptions and behavioral dispositions consistent with the subjective nature of emotions. The study of the relationship between TEI and stress, as well as the relationship between TEI and two of the essential consequences of stress, i.e. anxiety and depression, has revealed contradicting results. Our article aimed to study the relationship between TEI and perceived stress, anxiety and depression in the in the case of a sample of students from the technical field. The correlational analysis showed a significant negative association between TEI and perceived stress, as well as between TEI and anxiety and depression. The Emotionality and Sociability components of the TEI structure seem to have the highest influence in stress resistance. The results suggest that individuals with highly developed TEI withstand stress better than those with lower scores. The regression analysis showed that the TEI global score was as a significant predictor of perceived stress and depression for this group of students. In these circumstances, we consider that TEI is a useful construct, able to capture inter-individual differences in stress, anxiety and depression.

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