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The authors present Phase II of a 9-month study of the relationship between emotional intelligence and counseling self-efficacy. One-hundred eighteen counselors-in-training and professional counselors completed the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory (COSE) and Emotional Judgment Inventory (EJI). There was a significant correlation between 2 of the EJI scales (Identifying Own Emotions and Identifying Others' Emotions) and 4 of the 5 COSE scales. Students' perceived counseling self-efficacy showed a significant gain when compared with that of professional counselors over the 9-month period. Results support findings of Phase I (W. E. Martin, C. Easton, S. Wilson, M. Takemoto, & S. Sullivan, 2004), which indicated that emotional intelligence may be a unique construct inherent in persons who are preparing for careers as professional counselors.

The authors investigated the association between emotional intelligence and counseling self-efficacy. Participants were 140 counseling students and practicing counselors who completed the Emotional Judgment Inventory and the Counseling Self-Estimate Inventory. Emotional intelligence differentiated Counselors from noncounselors (Mdn d = .6650) but provided mixed results in differentiating counseling students and counselors. Moreover, the emotional intelligence factors Identifying Own Emotions, Expressing Emotions Adaptively, and Using Emotions in Problem Solving successfully predicted counseling self-efficacy of both counseling students and practicing counselors (R = .537). Emotional intelligence may be another marker for individuals exploring professional counseling as a career and for improving students' counseling self-efficacy.