Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI-T)

Abstract

The Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI-T; Pienimaa et al., 2023) was created to measure the emotional intelligence of students in social care and healthcare. The instrument’s development was grounded in a systematic review and insights gathered from focus group interviews. Its content validity was assessed by expert panels, and its preliminary psychometric properties were examined in two separate pilot studies. A comprehensive psychometric evaluation was then performed using data from a sample of undergraduate applicants to 20 different universities of applied sciences in Finland, all seeking entry into social care and healthcare programs. The evaluation of the EMI-T was conducted using the item response theory (IRT) method. The test consists of 20 items, which include case-based scenarios and questions related to facial expressions, organized into four subscales. The EMI-T incorporates eight pictures showing facial expressions, from which applicants must identify various universal emotions. The authors identified a limitation in the evaluation process: although the IRT analysis was generally performed successfully, a number of items developed were found to be exceptionally easy, with over 95% of participants choosing the correct answers. Consequently, the IRT method was not applicable to these items, which prevented a full psychometric evaluation for them.

Keywords

Acceptance of Emotions; Emotional Intelligence; Healthcare Students; Management of Emotions; Perception and Understanding of Emotions; Social Awareness and Relations; Social Care Students; Emotional Control; Emotions; Emotional Assessment; Emotional Processing

Authors

Pienimaa, Anne; Talman, Kirsi; Vierula, Jonna; Laakkonen, Eero; Haavisto, Elina

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Purpose

The EMI-T is an instrument designed to measure the emotional intelligence of social care and healthcare students who are participating in clinical practice early in their academic programs.

Construct

Emotional Intelligence

Validity

Content validity was established based on a predetermined acceptable limit for item-related content validity (CVI ≥0.78, as per Polit & Beck, 2006). Any items that fell below this threshold were removed from the instrument.

Reliability

No data is Available

Factor Analysis

No data is Available

Instrument

• Test Type: This is an original inventory/questionnaire.

• Format: The test is administered electronically. All items are multiple-choice, with each question offering one correct response and three incorrect options. One point is awarded for each correct answer, and no negative points are given for incorrect responses. The total score can range from 0 to 20.

• Language Available: English

• Population Group: Human; Male; Female

• Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older)

• Population Details: The test was developed and validated with social care and healthcare students in Finland.

• Test Methodology: The development process included evaluations for Test Validity, Content Validity, and the application of Item Response Theory.

Keywords

Acceptance of Emotions; Emotional Intelligence; Healthcare Students; Management of Emotions; Perception and Understanding of Emotions; Social Awareness and Relations; Social Care Students; Emotional Control; Emotions; Emotional Assessment; Emotional Processing

Authors

• Pienimaa, Anne

  • Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0857-5776

  • Affiliation: University of Turku Department of Nursing Science

  • Email address: [email protected]

• Talman, Kirsi

  • Affiliation: University of Turku Department of Nursing Science

• Vierula, Jonna

  • Author ORCID Identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7538-9837

  • Affiliation: Laurea University of Applied Sciences UAS Student Selection Consortium

• Laakkonen, Eero

  • Affiliation: University of Turku Department of Teacher Education

• Haavisto, Elina

  • Affiliation: Tampere University Hospital, Tampere University Department of Health Sciences

• Correspondence Address: Pienimaa, Anne: [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: To use this instrument, please contact the Corresponding Author.

• Commercial: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

reference’s

Pienimaa, A., Talman, K., Vierula, J., Laakkonen, E., & Haavisto, E. (2023). Development and psychometric evaluation of the Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI-T) for social care and healthcare student selection. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 79(2), 850–863. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15557

Items of the Emotional Intelligence Test (EMI-T)

The specific items for this 20-item measure are not publicly available.