Emotional Intelligence and Relationship Quality

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between friendship quality and emotional intelligence. Specifically, self- and other-focused emotional intelligence was investigated. Emotional intelligence is a term which encompasses a number of abilities or traits that govern how we interact with emotions. Research into emotional intelligence has found that it is related to the ability to complete emotionally strenuous tasks (Pekaar, Bakker, Born, & van der Linden, 2018). The relationship between emotional intelligence and romantic relationships has been studied extensively, but there is a lack of research into the relationship between emotional intelligence and friendship quality. The current study was conducted using one friendship quality questionnaire, and three emotional intelligence questionnaires. The McGill Friendship Questionnaire was chosen to measure friendship quality. The Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Test – Short Form, and the Tyndale Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test were chosen to measure emotional intelligence. In order to carry out the study, 63 participants from the Tyndale University campus were recruited. These participants were asked to complete the study as part of a friend group of two or more, utilizing the groups to get unbiased friendship quality information from the perspective of each individuals' friends, rather than from themselves. The result of the survey concluded that many emotional intelligence measures, specifically self-focused measures, are significantly related to friendship quality.