Examining the Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Job Satisfaction among Elementary Education Educators

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and teacher job satisfaction for teachers within elementary schools in southeast Alabama. Individuals involved in educational policy making and professional preparation should take into consideration the key role teachers play in shaping the lives of children, and administrators should provide teachers with social and emotional skill development that they need to be successful in their educational endeavors. The study indicated that there was a statistical significance between an educators’ ability to manage emotions and their job satisfaction level. However, the study found no statistical significance between emotional intelligence and job satisfaction with regard to gender, age, marital status, education level, or years of experience in the classroom. Two instruments were utilized in the study. The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) measured the participants’ level of emotional intelligence and the Job Satisfaction Survey (an abbreviated version of the Schools and Staffing Survey, or SASS) was used to examine the participants’ job satisfaction. The researcher used both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyze the data. Based on the research questions, emotional intelligence and job satisfaction were measured against the participants’ gender, marital status, age, education level, and years of teaching experience using multiple regression with a stepwise procedure.