Pathways into psychopathology: Modeling the effects of trait emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and irrational beliefs in a clinical sample

Abstract

Self-perception constructs concerning one's beliefs about oneself have a major impact on the likelihood of developing psychopathological symptoms. Emotional perceptions captured by trait emotional intelligence were stronger predictors of psychopathology than either or both mindfulness and irrational beliefs in a clinical sample of adults. If the seed factors of psychopathology are mainly psychological, rather than mainly biological, and given that psychological constructs, like trait emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and irrational beliefs, are amenable to training and optimization, the findings herein provide the impetus for a much needed shift of emphasis from pharmacological to psychological treatments.

Strengths Against Psychopathology in Adolescents: Ratifying the Robust Buffer Role of Trait Emotional Intelligence

“…Further, lower scores in Trait EI seemed to predict worse mental health (higher scores in the SDQ). This result is consistent with extensive previous evidence, revealing that high Trait EI is a positive predictor of mental health [8,10,17,19,65]. On the other hand, catastrophizing had a positive relationship with the total score of SDQ, that is, the more the adolescents think in catastrophic ways, the more the difficulties during adolescence.…”

“…These authors indicated that Trait EI constituted a stronger predictor of psychopathology than mindfulness and that mindfulness was a stronger predictor than irrational thoughts. The study points out that Trait EI has direct effects on psychopathology and indirect effects through mindfulness and that Trait EI is a stronger predictor of psychopathology than mindfulness and irrational beliefs combined [10].…”

“…Martins, Ramalho, and Morin [8] conducted a large meta-analysis based on 105 effect sizes and 19,815 adult and adolescent participants (11 years and above), establishing that EI was a positive predictor of mental health. Extensive available evidence suggests EI is a buffer of impact of stressful circumstances on mental health, both in adolescents and in adults [9,10].…”

“…There is only one study that has explored the combined effects of Trait EI, mindfulness, and irrational beliefs on mental disorders in a clinical sample of adults [10], indicating that Trait EI, mindfulness, and irrational beliefs constituted powerful predictors of psychopathology, with a stronger effect of Trait EI by means of its direct effect and indirect effects through mindfulness and irrational beliefs.…”

“…In 2001, Petrides and Furham [7] created the trait model and conceptualized the term EI as a personality trait with 15 dimensions, 2 independent (Adaptability and Self-motivation) and the other 13 grouped according to 4 factors: Wellbeing, Self-control, Emotionality, and Sociability.Martins, Ramalho, and Morin [8] conducted a large meta-analysis based on 105 effect sizes and 19,815 adult and adolescent participants (11 years and above), establishing that EI was a positive predictor of mental health. Extensive available evidence suggests EI is a buffer of impact of stressful circumstances on mental health, both in adolescents and in adults [9,10].Keefer, Saklofske, and Parker [11] explain different pathways from EI to mental health, such as that: (i) High EI is associated with healthier emotional and physiological stress response; (ii) high EI is related with less use of avoidance, ignoring or distraction strategies to cope with stressful situations, and further associated with coping strategies such as dealing with the stressor directly; (iii) high EI is related with less use of passively worrying focused on a stressful situation or of numbing their feelings with substances, which could aggravate health risks. ; and (iv) high EI is correlated with more adaptative ways of coping with health threats and chronic illnesses.…”