The Effectiveness of Metacognitive Training on Emotional Intelligence and Ego Defense Styles

Abstract

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a learning and influential skill in a constellation of noncognitive competencies that lead to successful coping and mature behavior in difficult situations, and there is also a need for training techniques such as metacognitive training that can answer the needs of organizations for their workforce in this field. To see the effectiveness of metacognitive training on EI, and Ego defense styles among Parsian Bank's employees, 450 employees were selected through convenience sampling technique. The Bar-On emotional intelligence inventory and Defense Styles Questionnaire were applied to assess EI and ego defense styles of participants and then of these, 44 employees were selected who obtained average scores, and they were randomly assigned into two equal groups of experimental and control. This research was quasiexperimental with a design of pretest-posttest and with a control group. Metacognitive training was conducted on the experimental group during nine sessions with two hours based on over two months based on the Nine-layer Pyramid Model of Emotional Intelligence. Also, multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was employed for data analysis. As a result, given the past findings and direct results of this study, one can achieve the understanding that metacognitive training has the potential to enhance EI and mature defense styles (P < 0.05), reducing neurotic defense styles (P < 0.5), but has insignificant effect on the immature defense style of bank's employees.