The link between emotional competence and well-being: a longitudinal study

Authors: Ciarrochi, Joseph; Scott, Greg

Source: British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, Volume 34, Number 2, May 2006 , pp. 231-243(13)

Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

What aspects of emotional competence help protect people from stress, anxiety, and depression, and help to promote positive affect? A total of 163 university students completed a two wave study that involved measuring emotional competence and emotional well-being at 1-year intervals. As expected, Time 1 measures of emotional competence predicted Time 2 measures of well-being, after controlling for Time 1 measures of well-being. Specifically, ineffective problem orientation predicted increases in anxiety and stress, and decreases in positive affect. Difficulty identifying and describing emotions predicted increases in anxiety and decreases in positive affect. Finally, an aspect of difficulty managing emotions (i.e. rumination) predicted decreases in positive affect. Each emotional competence variable predicted unique variance after controlling for other significant variables. We discuss the implications of these findings for counselling practice.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03069880600583287

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Australia, 2522

Publication date: 2006-05-01

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