Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-2021

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

School Psychology

Major Professor

R. Steve McCallum

Committee Members

Sherry M. Bell, Merilee McCurdy, Brian Wilhoit

Abstract

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.

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