Emotion regulation strategies and perceived emotional intelligence: The effect of age.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression. We also investigated the possible effects of age on the aforementioned variables. The total sample consisted of 379 people (158 men, 220 women, 1 unreported). Across participants, 273 were young (20-39 years old) and 106 were middle-aged (40-65 years old). We found statistically significant positive correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of cognitive reappraisal and negative primarily correlations between the dimensions of perceived emotional intelligence and the reported use of expressive suppression. Age was not only an important factor in differentiating perceived emotional intelligence and emotion regulation strategies but also in some cases a moderator of their linear relationship. Implications for counseling professionals and future research directions are included.