Emotional intelligence and calling among police cadets: Cross-sectional indirect associations through emotion regulation and psychological well-being

Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study examined whether emotion regulation (ER) and psychological well-being (PWB) statistically accounted for indirect associations between emotional intelligence (EI) and calling among 529 Chinese police cadets. Using cross-sectional survey data and structural equation modeling, EI was positively associated with calling directly and indirectly through ER, through PWB, and through the hypothesized ordering of ER and PWB. The PWB-only indirect estimate was numerically the largest, and the direct association remained significant. Because all variables were assessed at one time point, these indirect associations do not establish temporal ordering or causality. The pattern is consistent with a COR-based account in which higher EI co-occurs with greater reported ER, PWB, and calling. These findings identify emotional competencies, well-being, and occupational meaning as candidate targets for future longitudinal and intervention research in police-academy settings.