A Qualitative Case Study of an Ultra-Brief Trait Emotional Intelligence Intervention for University Student Leaders

Emotional intelligence gained interest in the early 1990s from researchers in hopes of assessing how understanding and developing emotions can help individuals be "healthy, rich, successful, loved, and happy" (Mayer et al., 2001, p. xi). Because of the expanded interest, increasing implications began occurring at the postsecondary level of education (Petrides et al., 2018). Trait emotional intelligence focuses on perceptions of oneself and others, illustrating how we regulate our emotions and recognize them in others. This qualitative study aimed to explore the impact of an ultra-brief intervention on the trait emotional intelligence development of university student leaders and how they perceived the effectiveness of the intervention. The study also looked to find how students specifically used the sociability factor in their roles as student leaders. The researchers conducted interviews followed by thematic analysis to reveal reoccurring codes, themes, and patterns that emerged from the data set. The findings suggest that students perceive the ultra-brief intervention as effective while engaging elements of the sociability factor of trait emotional intelligence. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]