Emotional intelligence as a non-cognitive predictor of academic performance

In this investigation we studied the criterion validity of 3 competing measures of emotional intelligence (EI) through two studies using data from two independent samples of 120 and 250 High School students. Criterion variable was previous academic performance (AP) at the end of Primary Education as well as in the 3rd course of Secondary Education. The pattern of results was pretty similar in Studies 1 and 2. Both Ability EI and Trait EI showed positive and significant correlations with AP across the most of the subjects. Both predictors explained around 10% of the variance in previous AP. In Study 2, the STEU-ASF showed stronger convergent validity than the MSCEIT concerning cognitive intelligence (Gf and Gc), and the TEIQue-ASF showed incremental validity over and above cognitive intelligence in the prediction of AP in Language and Foreign Language, but not in the prediction of Maths.