The role of trait emotional intelligence and social and emotional skills in students’ emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties : a study of Greek adolescents’ perceptions

The emergence of the Trait Emotional Intelligence construct shifted the interest in personality research to the investigation of the effect of global personality characteristics on behaviour. A second body of research in applied settings, the Social and Emotional Learning movement, emphasized the cultivation of emotional and social skills for positive relationships in a school environment. In this paper we investigate the role of both personality traits and social and emotional skills, in the occurrence of emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties, according to adolescent students’ self-perceptions. Five hundred and fifty-nine students from state secondary schools in Greece, aged 12-14 years old, completed The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Adolescent Short Form, The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters, and The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. It was found that students with higher Trait Emotional Intelligence and stronger social and emotional skills were less likely to present emotional, conduct, hyperactivity and peer difficulties and more likely to present prosocial behaviour. Gender was a significant factor for emotional difficulties and grade for peer difficulties. The paper describes the underlying mechanisms of students’ emotional and behavioural strengths and difficulties, and provides practical implications for educators to improve the quality of students’ lives in schools.peer-reviewe

EMOTION KNOWLEDGE AND SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE: A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF PRESCHOOL AND FIRST-GRADE GREEK STUDENTS

Even young children think about their own and others’ behaviors, including emotions. Such cognitions and emotions about self and others convey information that is crucial to social interactions and relationships. The present study aimed at exploring young children’s emotional knowledge processes, the role of gender in these processes, and their association with teacherreported early school adjustment. It also aimed at testing the validity of a model of emotional knowledge in the Greek context. Two-hundred and fifty-two preschool and first grade primary school students were interviewed with the Affect Knowledge Test (AKT). Preschool and first grade primary teachers rated children’s early school adjustment with the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30). The results highlighted the association of children’s emotion knowledge with school adjustment. A theoretical model of emotion knowledge for preschool and early primary education students is proposed

Students’ emotional and behavioral difficulties : the role of teachers’ social and emotional learning and teacher-student relationships

This study investigates how teachers‟ perceptions of Emotional Intelligence (EI), Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills, and teacher-student relationships relate to students‟ emotional and behavioral difficulties. We examined teachers and students‟ perceptions of students‟ emotional and behavioral difficulties and the degree of agreement between them. Ninety-eight elementary teachers from state schools in central Greece completed the Self-Rated Emotional Intelligence Scale (SREIS), the Teacher SEL Beliefs Scale, the Student-Teacher Relationships Scale - Short Form (STRS-SF), and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, teacher version) for 617 students, aged between 6 and 11 years. Three hundred and eight 11 year old students completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, student version). Regression analysis revealed that teachers‟ perceptions of EI and SEL skills were not related to students‟ emotional and behavioral difficulties, while teacher-student conflictual relationships were mainly linked to these difficulties. This finding was common both to teachers and students‟ perceptions. We found low agreement between teachers and students‟ perceptions of these difficulties. We discuss these findings and their implications for research and practice.peer-reviewe

Prospective teachers' perceptions of the school psychologist's role

Acknowledging the importance of teachers’ implicit theories for the determination of school psychologist’s role, this study aims to elicit prospective teachers’ personal theories for the role of school psychologist. By using metaphoric pictures, 59 pre-service teachers described their perceptions of the school psychologist’s role in relation to other members of the school community, the expectations of both teachers and the school psychologist in relation to the role of the school psychologist, the variability of conditions in which the school psychologist’s role is undertaken as well as their feelings about the school psychologist’s role. Content analysis of data indicated that prospective teachers perceived the school psychologist’s role as being carried out within the school setting and as being prominent in relation to the teachers’ role. The school psychologist aims to help students and teachers to achieve their goals, while teachers perceive the school psychologist as a consultant. The school psychologist’s task is undertaken under continually changing conditions, depending mainly on the variability of people’s needs. Finally, prospective teachers described a variety of emotional responses in relation to the school psychologist’s role. These findings are discussed in terms of the expansion of the school psychologist’s role, teachers’ professional identity and the training programmes of both school psychologists and teachers.peer-reviewe

Postscript: Poulou, M. S. (2017) Students’ emotional and behavioral difficulties: the role of teachers’ social and emotional learning and teacher-student relationships. International Journal of Emotional Education, 9 (2), 72-89.

This postscript describes studies which address teachers’ personal and professional characteristics, teacher-student relationships and students’ social and emotional skills, in an attempt to investigate potential predictors of students’ emotional and behavioral difficulties. Based on preschool, primary and secondary teachers and students’ perceptions, the studies indicated that teachers’ perceptions of emotional intelligence, social and emotional skills implementation, and teaching efficacy were indirectly linked to students’ emotional and behavioral difficulties, through teacher-student relationships. The paper suggests new insights into the interpretation of students’ adjustment at schools, and underscores the importance of teacher-training in helping teachers to develop personal and professional skills

The impact of vision impairment on vision-related quality of life of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Purpose: To investigate the validity and reliability of the Greek Impact of Vision Impairment Questionnaire (IVI) and to explore the predictors of vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in individuals with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Methods: About 191 patients completed the IVI and the SF-12 Health Survey, and were assessed on visual exams. A random group of 20 participants completed the IVI twice with a 2 weeks interval, to assess test-retest reliability. About 102 patients completed the IVI 1 year later in a follow-up examination. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate response category functioning, scale precision, unidimensionality, scale targeting and differential item functioning. Stepwise multiple linear regression analyses identified predictors of VRQoL. Results: Test-retest reliability of IVI items was calculated from 0.86 to 0.98. The six response categories were merged into four to figure out disordered thresholds. Rasch analysis concluded in three scales: Mobility and Independence, Reading and Accessing Information, and Emotional Wellbeing. Regarding convergent validity, the IVI scores had significant associations with SF-12 components (rho = 0.28-0.47) and measurements of visual acuity (rho = 0.39-0.66). Worse VRQoL at 1 year follow-up was correlated with decline in distance and near VA. Distance VA and the SF-12 components were common predictors for all three subscales. The duration of disease was a significant predictor for the emotional subscale. Conclusion: The Greek IVI was found to assess AMD patients' perceptions of VRQoL in a valid, reliable and responsive to eyesight manner. VRQoL was mainly established by patients' distance VA and mental health