An Italian contribution to the study of the validity and reliability of the trait meta-mood scale.

BACKGROUND

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a field of study that is receiving increasingly attention in the literature, due to its relevance to a series of aspects of human psychological and social functioning.

AIMS

This study used archival data from an Italian sample encompassing 885 nonclinical adults, to contribute to the study of the validity and reliability of the Trait Meta Mood-Scale (TMMS), a widely used measure of self-perceived EI.

METHOD

Statistical analyses focused on internal consistency, factor structure and concurrent validity of an Italian TMMS version.

RESULTS

Results confirmed previous international studies supporting the cross-cultural adaptability of the TMMS, showing adequate reliability and validity indexes for all TMMS scores.

CONCLUSIONS

EI may be measured via self-report. Its relationship to psychopathology, however, deserves more research, as certain components of EI correlate positively with psychological suffering.