Emotional intelligence and school climate in primary school children in Spain, Norway, and Poland

Abstract

Introduction: Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to effectively manage emotions. It has a clear impact on the well-being of schoolchildren. A large number of studies have shown how emotional intelligence influences psychological and contextual variables, but less is known about how school context can influence emotional development during childhood. The objectives of this research were to describe the level of emotional intelligence and school climate of primary school children in three European countries, explore the association between school climate and emotional intelligence and analyze the moderating role of gender and country.

Method: 1104 schoolchildren (528 from Spain, 252 from Poland and 324 from Norway) (50.6% girls, Mage = 10.49 years; SD = 1.3).

Results: The descriptive analysis showed higher levels of emotional intelligence in Spanish schoolchildren and a higher level of school climate. Girls showed higher levels of emotional repair compared to boys. Multivariate multiple regression models indicated the association between school climate and emotional intelligence. Gender and country did not moderate the relationship between school climate and dimensions of emotional intelligence.

Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of the quality of the school climate in different European regions to promote the level of emotional intelligence of children in Primary Education.