Attitudes of Emotionally Intelligent Future Teachers Towards People with Disabilities

This study explores those socioemotional factors inherent to their professional condition to work in diverse environments. A total of 236 university students, who belonged to the Degree of Primary Education (n = 236) of the Faculty of Humanities and Education Sciences of Jaén (Andalusia) [Spain], of which 184 were women (78%) and 52 men (22%), with a mean age of 23.02 years (SD = 3.55), took part in this study. The instruments used were: Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale (BEIS-10) and the Attitudes towards People with Disabilities Scale (EAPD). The aim was to determine the relationship between EI and each of the dimensions related to attitudes towards people with disabilities. An explanatory and relational structural equation model based on PLS-SEM was developed. The results showed that higher EI is related to more positive attitudes towards disability in the different dimensions assessed: rights recognition, role assumption, assessment of limitations and capabilities, and personal involvement. The present research has shown the need to promote the development of those socio-emotional factors that allow us to know the needs of students through emotional intelligence programmes.