Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Job Satisfaction Among Secondary School Teachers

Abstract

The profession of teaching is widely recognized as it involves continuous interpersonal interaction and emotional engagement. Teachers need to manage and regulate their emotions while fulfilling institutional expectations, classroom dynamics, and responding to student needs. The current study aimed to examine emotional intelligence as a predictor of job satisfaction among secondary school teachers. Additionally, one more complementary psychological construct i.e.  negative mood regulation expectancies were also included to explore emotional coping beliefs in overall well-being of teachers. Descriptive correlational survey design was used. A sample of 280 secondary school teachers working in Chandigarh was used to collect data through stratified random sampling in the academic year 2024-2025. To collect the data three scales were used namely Emotional intelligence scale developed by Hyde, Pethe, and Dhar (2005); negative mood regulation scale developed by Catanzaro & Mearns (1990); job satisfaction scale developed by Singh & Sharma (1990). To determine the predictive role of emotional intelligence in job satisfaction and examining the relationship among the variables Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses were used. The results of the study revealed significant and positive relationship between the variables (emotional intelligence and job satisfaction). Furthermore, regression analyses indicated that emotional intelligence predict job satisfaction significantly, whereas, another variable (negative mood regulation expectancies) contributed enhanced explanatory power to the model. Outcomes of the study highlights the significance of emotional competencies in sustaining satisfaction in the profession (teaching) and resilience in such environment which is emotionally demanding. The findings of the study underscore the need to integrate emotional competence development with professional development programs and teacher education.