Emotional intelligence under stress: How, when, why?

Emotional intelligence (EI) can buffer the potentially harmful effects of situational and chronic stressors to promote good outcomes (e.g., psychological wellbeing; exam success). However, it is yet to be established how (e.g., via stress reactivity, recovery), when (in which contexts) and why (which facets/skills) EI operates to exert beneficial effects. Additionally, we know little about how useful EI is for young people facing stressful situations. This symposium will offer some preliminary answers to these questions. We present physiological and subjective data drawn from experimental and naturalistic settings, involving children, adolescents and adults. We explore whether ‘type’ of EI matters (trait or ability), and examine whether EI works in concert with other moderating factors that may explain outcomes in particular contexts (e.g., self-efficacy; rumination). Findings are discussed with reference to implications for the field and practical applications.