Resident Advisor General Intelligence, Emotional Intelligence, Personality Dimensions, and Internal Belief Characteristics as Predictors of Rated Performance

Abstract

Resident Advisors (RAs) have a significant hand in help-ing students adjust and thrive in college life. Given the importance of selecting high-performing RAs, this study sought to examine how well various measures of intelligence (e.g., general, emotional) in addition to personality and additional "internal belief" characteristics predict performance in the RA position, using hierarchical regression analyses. General intelligence, emotional intelligence, personality dimensions, and "internal beliefs" survey data were obtained from 36 university RAs. Performance data were obtained from self-reports by the RAs and also from 190 resident students rating their RAs. RA emotional sta-Brought to you by | HEC Bibliotheque Maryriam ET J. 529bility, conscientiousness, and confidence in ability as an RA were found to be predictive of rated performance. Scores of emotional intelligence, but not general intelligence, were found to be significantly positively correlated with RA performance. However, emotional intelligence did not have incremental validity above the contribution of other measures. Implications for improving the current process of RA selection at colleges and directions for future research are discussed.The college experience is a tumultuous time in young people' s lives. Being away from home for the first time, meeting high academic expectations, and facing financial concerns can create a situation loaded with tension. In the face of these pressures, college students may feel hopeless and helpless, resulting in problems such as depression, sleep disorders, substance abuse, anxiety disorders, eating disor- ders, impulsive behaviors, and suicide (Kadison & DiGeronimo, 2004). Additionally, parents often feel shut out from their children' s lives and unsure of how to help them during this difficult transition period (Kadison & DiGeronimo).Fortunately, the transition to autonomy can be greatly facilitated by the guidance of capable peers. Indeed, many studies show that during the adolescent stage of development, teens tend to be heavily influenced by their peers (Conner, 1994; Dupre, Miller, Gold, & Rospenda, 1995). Recognizing this fact, most universities employ undergraduate students as leaders in important contexts of the college environment. For example, resident advisors (RAs) are students employed by universities to live in specific student housing and supervise students. RAs are typically charged with four major tasks: (a) maintaining campus residence halls, (b) enforcing residential policies, (c) developing community, and (d) assisting students. In addition, they are often viewed as role models by fellow students in the residence halls where they live and work, as they interact daily with fellow students (Healea, 2005).In light of the important role that RAs can play in facilitating the transition to college life for incoming students, a major concern for universities ought to be the selection of the best possible candidates for this critical position. Unfortunately, as Jaeger and Caison (2006) have Brought...