On the rocky road to efficient behavior management: Can emotional competencies signal the better way?

Abstract

Self-efficacy beliefs in behavior management (SEBiBM) is a key issue for teachers, while emotional competence is a major contributor to professional success and sustainability in this profession. The investigation of the multifaceted nature of these two constructs may be important in order to take a step toward understanding which emotional competence could foster specific aspects of SEBiBM. To explore this issue, elementary school teachers (N = 121, 1st-4th grades) answered the Profile of Emotional Competence, which comprises 12 scores of emotional competencies, and a four-dimensional self-efficacy scale for behavior management in the classroom. Results indicate that intrapersonal emotional competencies, as compared to interpersonal competencies, play a major role regarding self-efficacy beliefs. In particular, multiple regression analyses revealed that higher identification and understanding of personal emotions were associated with better perceived self-efficacy on two aspects of SEBiBM. In addition, using other’s emotions predicted proactive involvement of the pupil’s parent or caregiver. Results are discussed in terms of their contribution to research in educational sciences and in teacher education, particularly with respect to teachers’ sustainability in the profession.

Emotional Intelligence and Success in Initial Vocational Education and Training: A Study Among Healthcare Assistants and Social Care Workers

“…Additionally, the authors defended that ability EI is a stronger predictor of performance in humanities than in science and that trait EI is a stronger predictor of grades than standardized test scores, though trait EI showed little incremental power over intelligence and personality. EI is also an important factor to foster teachers' well-being (Vesely-Maillefer & Saklofske, 2018) and self-efficacy beliefs (Gay et al, 2022). The results of interventions on emotional competences in students showed that those with higher EI have more advantages than students with lower EI.…”

“…In addition, among the professional competences formally required to perform the job optimally -as indicated in the profile description (training ordinance) -there is "communicating in a way that is appropriate to the recipient and the situation " or "contributing to conflict resolution" for social care workers (SERI, 2016) and "establishing professional relationships with clients and their environment" for healthcare assistants (SERI, 2020), which clearly require emotional competences. More generally, the healthcare assistant and social care worker professions call for a certain level of EI to manage one's own emotions and those of the patient, client, or beneficiary (Dugue et al, 2021;Faguy, 2012;Ingram, 2012;Louwen et al, 2023). In contrast, despite the relevance of EI in many training courses and business sectors, this topic has been very rarely addressed in the VET context, both in terms of vocational school curriculum and interventions meant to improve apprentices' emotional competences.…”