The purpose of this study is to investigate relation between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being of male and female children, to understand importance of emotional intelligence education and subjective well-being of children, then to pres...
The purpose of this study is to investigate relation between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being of male and female children, to understand importance of emotional intelligence education and subjective well-being of children, then to present basic data for program development to enhance emotional intelligence and for positive intervention to promote growth and happiness of children. For doing this, the research questions are as follows.
(1) What are the differences in emotional intelligence based on gender?
(2) What are the differences in subjective well-being based on gender?
(3) What are the correlations between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being?
(4) What are the differences in the correlation between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being based on gender?
The subjects of this study were 350 fifth- and sixth-graders in five elementary schools located in Gyeonggi-do, and a total 309 were included in the data for this study after those who did not answer or answer insincerely to the questionnaires.
The test tool with 47 items for the upper graders in elementary schools developed by Moon Yong-rin (1997) was used for testing emotional intelligence, and the test tool with 24 items adjusted by Park Byeong-gi and Song Jeong-hwa (2007) from the subjective well-being scale that was developed by Park Byeong-gi and Hong Seung-pyo (2004). The collected data were calculated of reliability by using the SPSS Windows 12.0 program, and were conducted of descriptive statistics, t-test, and Pearson Regression analysis.
The results of this study are as follows.
First, as for the emotional intelligence based on gender, the total scores of emotional intelligence and the emotional expression, empathy, and emotional control as sub-domains of the female subjects were significantly statistically higher.
Second, as for the subjective well-being based on gender, the total scores of the subjective well-being showed no difference, and the positive intrapersonal well-being as a sub-domain of the female subjects was significantly statistically higher.
Third, as for the correlations between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being, the emotional intelligence had significant correlation with subjective well-being, and the emotional perception, emotional expression, empathy, emotional control, and emotional use had all significant correlations with subjective well-being. As for the correlations between the sub-domains of emotional intelligence and those of subjective well-being, all the sub-domains except for emotional perception, empathy, and negative emotional well-being showed significant correlations.
Fourth, as for the relations between emotional intelligence and subjective well-being based on gender, the males did not show significant correlations in emotional perception, empathy, and negative subjective well-being, different from their female counterparts. In the correlations between the sub-domains of emotional intelligence and those of subjective well-being, the females had more correlations in domains of emotional perception and empathy with the sub-domains of subjective well-being when compared to their male counterparts, while the males had more correlations in emotional use with the sub-domains of subjective well-being.
The results of this study indicate that emotional intelligence of children had close relation with subjective well-being and that males and females were difference each other in their emotional abilities and correlations in the whole subjective well-being and the sub-domains. Conclusively, in subjective well-being and relations, it is required of perception of importance in education of emotional intelligence of children and consideration and educational interests based on gender.