Development and Validation of the Scale of Emotional Functioning: Educators (SEF:ED)

Data collected from 97 educators provide preliminary support for the psychometric integrity of an experimental self-report instrument designed to operationalize emotional intelligence (EI) specific to educators, the Scale of Emotional Functioning: Educators, or SEF:ED. Data analyses relied in part on results from an exploratory factor analysis, which revealed an acceptable three-factor solution and item-scale correlations. Reliability estimates (i.e., split-half reliability correlations) obtained for the SEF:ED subscales of Emotional Awareness, Emotional Management, and Interpersonal Relations subscales are .86, .80, and .71, respectively. Correlation coefficients (i.e., Pearson r) between the SEF:ED composite and the Profile of Emotional Competence composite (PEC; Brasseur et al., 2013) range from .35 to .72 and provide some evidence for concurrent validity of the SEF:ED. Based on mean difference analyses, the SEF:ED Total score was statistically significantly different (and higher) than the PEC Composite (p < .01), though that pattern did not extend to all of the more molecular comparisons between the SEF:ED and PEC subscale scores. Finally, correlation coefficients obtained between SEF:ED and the Maslach Burnout Inventory for Educators (MBI-ES; Maslach et al.,1986) range from -.21 to .59 and provide limited evidence of its predictive validity for important outcomes (e.g., in this case, burnout). Implications for application of the SEF:ED are discussed.