Is dispositional emotional intelligence synonymous with personality?

To examine the utility of dispositional models of emotional intelligence (EI), two studies (Ns = 263, 116) examined whether dispositional EI predicted psychological health independent of personality. Participants completed measures of three EI dispositions (perception, understanding, regulation), Big-Five traits, psychological well-being and emotional distress. In Study 2 participants completed the health scales a second time three months later. Results revealed that dispositional EI is related to health outcomes cross-sectionally (Study 1) and predicts changes in health over time (Study 2), after controlling for the Big-Five. These findings suggest that dispositional EI is not synonymous with personality and predicts meaningful life outcomes above and beyond the Big-Five personality traits. These findings have implications for the theoretical conceptualization and measurement of emotional intelligence.