Emotional Intelligence and Demographic Factors Among Secondary School Teachers
Abstract
Emotional intelligence is considered an important determinant of teachers’ professional effectiveness, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. This study aimed to assess the level of emotional intelligence among secondary school teachers and examine its relationship with selected demographic factors. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed involving 259 secondary school teachers from southern Albania. Emotional intelligence was measured using Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, assessing five dimensions: self-awareness, emotion management, self-motivation, empathy, and social skills. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted. The findings revealed generally high levels of emotional intelligence among participants. Self-awareness (M = 39.44) and social skills (M = 39.27) demonstrated the highest mean scores, followed by self-motivation (M = 38.70), empathy (M = 37.80), and emotion management (M = 36.45). Inferential analyses showed no statistically significant gender differences across emotional intelligence dimensions (p > .05). Similarly, age was not significantly associated with self-awareness (F = 0.994, p = .478), emotion management (F = 0.914, p = .583), self-motivation (F = 0.571, p = .952), empathy (F = 1.038, p = .419), or social skills (F = 0.974, p = .506). No statistically significant differences were found according to marital status or educational level (p > .05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a weak negative relationship between professional experience and self-awareness (r = –.142, p = .025), while no significant associations were found between years of experience and the remaining emotional intelligence dimensions. The findings suggest that emotional intelligence among secondary school teachers is relatively independent of demographic characteristics and may be influenced more by individual and professional factors. The study highlights the importance of incorporating emotional intelligence development into teacher education and professional development programs to enhance teachers’ well-being, professional effectiveness, and the quality of educational practice. Received: 25 January 2026 │ Accepted: 27 May 2026 │ Published: 23 July 2026