Association between residential greenness during childhood and trait emotional intelligence during young adulthood: A retrospective life course analysis in the United States

Trait emotional intelligence reflects a set of self-perceptions and behavioral tendencies to empathize with others and manage one's own emotions. Trait emotional intelligence is a valuable characteristic since it can aid social interaction, bolster subjective wellbeing, and predict career success. Past research suggests that brief exposures to greenspace can enhance outcomes related to facets of trait emotional intelligence. The current study employed a retrospective life course analysis to examine whether residential greenness and other aspects of the residential environment predict trait emotional intelligence in early adulthood. Childhood exposure for 297 college students was based on up to three home addresses from birth to age 18, weighted by residency duration. Greenspace was calculated with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values in 500 m and 1000 m buffers. Partially supporting our predictions, we found emotional intelligence in young adults growing up in lower-income areas was positively associated with cumulative neighborhood greenness around childhood homes. The opposite pattern was found for those who grew up in higher-income areas, with greater greenness