How Verbal Intelligence Predicts Emotional Stability: The Moderating Role of Empathy

This study examines whether verbal intelligence predicts emotional stability and investigates the moderating role of empathy in this relationship. Data were collected from 300 Bulgarian adults (M age = 29.6 years, SD = 12.8; 87.3% female) using Factor B (Reasoning/verbal crystallized intelligence) and Factor C (Emotional Stability) from Cattell’s 16PF Questionnaire (Form C), together with Yusupov’s empathy scale (Bulgarian adaptation). A general linear model (OLS regression) showed that higher verbal intelligence significantly predicted greater emotional stability (β = 0.116, p = .045, η2p = 0.013), while empathy had no significant main effect (p = .761). The interaction between verbal intelligence and empathy was significant (β = −0.138, p = .007, η2p = 0.024). Simple slopes analysis revealed that verbal intelligence positively predicted emotional stability at low (β = 0.253, p < .001) and medium levels of empathy (β = 0.116, p = .045), but the relationship became non-significant and slightly negative at high empathy levels (β = −0.022, p = .785). These findings suggest that verbal intelligence supports emotional stability most effectively when empathy is low to moderate, whereas high empathy may attenuate—or potentially reverse—this association, possibly due to increased empathic distress and reduced regulatory efficiency. The results underscore the importance of considering socio-emotional moderators when examining cognitive predictors of emotional adjustment and well-being.