Development and Psychometric Validation of the Emotional Intelligence Scale for Youth in the Conflict-Affected Southern Border Provinces of Thailand

This study developed and validated a specialised emotional intelligence (EI) scale for youth in the conflict-affected southern border provinces of Thailand. The primary objective was to establish a psychometric instrument tailored to this unique multicultural and sensitive context. Utilizing a sample of 500 local youth leaders, the instrument’s quality was rigorously evaluated through Second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using Maximum Likelihood estimation. The final validated model comprises 25 indicators categorized into five dimensions: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Self-Motivation, Social Awareness/Empathy, and Relationship Management. Results indicated an excellent model fit with empirical data (χ2 = 284.15, df = 265, p = 0.198, CFI = 0.99, GFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.02). Factor loadings ranged from 0.72 to 0.92, while composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE) values exceeded 0.88 and 0.61, respectively, confirming high internal consistency and construct validity. Social Awareness/Empathy emerged as the most significant dimension (B = 0.91). This study suggests that the scale is a robust tool for assessing EI in conflict zones, providing a critical foundation for targeted psychosocial interventions and sustainable peace-building initiatives among youth in the region.