Exploring Self-Reported Emotional Intelligence of Probation and Institutional Correctional Officers

Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to varying levels of acceptable emotions and the ability to perceive, express, and employ them appropriately. There is a paucity of research literature exploring the EI of correctional officers. To bridge the gap, we addressed two research questions: What levels of EI are self-reported by correctional officers? and How do those levels differ between occupational and the personal demographic variables of the officers? The study employed the use of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire short form to measure the trait EI for a sample of 555 correctional personnel. The GLM analyses indicate race, gender, and employment context (Institution vs. Community) emerged as statistically significant predictors in the multivariate model, highlighting the complexity of EI within correctional settings.