Correlation between emotional competence and the quality of close relationships among university students

Emocionalna kompetencija je sposobnost praćenja vlastitih i tuđih emocija te njihovo korištenje u regulaciji ponašanja. Ovim istraživanjem željelo se utvrditi postoji li povezanost emocionalne kompetentnosti i kvalitete privrženosti u bliskim odnosima, kao i ispitati jesu li dimenzije emocionalne kompetentnosti i privrženosti u bliskom odnosu prediktori zadovoljstva životom. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 248 studenata u dobi od 19 do 42 godine (prosječna dob iznosila je 22,8 godina). U svrhu istraživanja korišteni su instrumenti Upitnik emocionalne kompetentnosti (Takšić, 2002) kojim se ispitivala razina emocionalne kompetencije, Brennanov Inventar iskustava u bliskim vezama (Kamenov i Jelić, 2003) kojim se ispitivala privrženost u prijateljskom i partnerskom odnosu te Skala zadovoljstva životom (SWLS, Diener i sur., 1985) kojom se ispitivalo zadovoljstvo životom. Rezultati ukazuju na to da je emocionalna kompetentnost povezana s kvalitetom privrženosti u bliskom odnosu, pri čemu studenti s višom razinom emocionalne kompetentnosti izražavaju nižu razinu izbjegavanja i anksioznosti u prijateljskom odnosu. Nadalje, među sudionicima koji imaju višu razinu emocionalne kompetencije više je onih čija se privrženost najboljem prijatelju/prijateljici može opisati kao sigurna, a manje onih s nesigurnim oblicima privrženosti, dok je među sudionicima s nižom razinom emocionalne kompetencije više onih čiji bi se stil privrženosti mogao opisati kao nesiguran. Kad je riječ o zadovoljstvu životom, dobiveni rezultati su pokazali da su sposobnost izražavanja i imenovanja emocija te sposobnost regulacije i upravljanja emocijama pozitivni prediktori zadovoljstva životom studenata, dok je anksioznost u prijateljskom odnosu negativan prediktor zadovoljstva životom.Emotional competence is the ability to monitor one's and others' emotions and their use in behavioural regulation. The aim of this research was to explore the association between emotional competence and the quality of attachment in close relationships and to examine whether dimensions of emotional competence and attachment in close relationships are predictors of life satisfaction. 248 students participated in this research from 19 until 42 years of age (the average age was 22.8). The Emotional Competence Questionnaire (Takšić, 2002) was used to measure participants’ emotional competence, and Brennan's Inventory of Experiences in Close Relationships (Kamenov & Jelić, 2003) examined the quality of attachment in friendship and romantic relationships. Finally, the Life Satisfaction Scale (SWLS, Diener et al., 1985) was used to measure participants’ life satisfaction. The results indicated that emotional competence is associated with the quality of attachment in close relationships. Students with a higher level of emotional competence express a lower level of avoidance and anxiety in close friendships. Also, among students with a higher level of emotional competence, there are more students whose attachment to a best friend can be described as secure and fewer with insecure attachment types. Accordingly, among students with a lower level of emotional competence, there are more students whose attachment style can be described as insecure. Concerning life satisfaction, the results indicated that the ability to express and label emotions and the ability to regulate and manage emotions are positive predictors of students’ life satisfaction, whereby anxiety in a friendship is a negative predictor of life satisfaction