DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE SCALE ON YOUNG ADULTS IN IBADAN METROPOLIS, OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

This instrumental study developed and measured the psychometric
properties of Multi-Dimensional Emotional Intelligence Scale among
young adults in Ibadan metropolis. The study adopted an ex-post facto
survey research design. The participants in the study were 362 (106
male and 256 female) young adults randomly selected from various
tertiary institutions within Ibadan metropolis. Their age ranged
between 20 and 40 years and mean age of 24.3 years. Exploratory
Factor Analysis (EFA), Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation (PPMC)
and Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) were used to analyse the data. During
purification process, items with low total-item correlation, using 0.3 as
a baseline, were discarded. Items with factor loadings less than 0.35
were removed. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) with oblimin
rotation and eigenvalue greater than 1 revealed a four factor of MultiDimensional Emotional intelligence Scale. The four factors accounted
for 33.689% of the total explained variance. The instrument has
adequate construct, convergent validity and high stability. The sub-scale
were: Emotional creativity (49 items; ?= .787); Social Awareness (9
items; ?= .725); Problem Solving (2 items; ?=.754); Assertiveness (4
items; ?= .778) and overall Multi-Dimensional Emotional Intelligence
Scale (71 items) ? =.804. The study has implication for young adults,
Counsellors, Psychologists, Health workers, Professionals and Human
resource personnel to make use of the various dimensions of emotional
intelligence as a whole and observe factors that are responsible for
emotional hijack in individuals. It was recommended that if the
attributes and competencies of emotional intelligence are included in
the school curriculum it will enable the students to learn how to better
understand themselves and others, and to be able to perform effectively
in the larger societ