An exploration of the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI).
The present study explored the relationship between the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) admissions process and the Bar-On EQ-i emotional intelligence (EI) instrument in order to investigate the potential for the EQ-i to serve as a proxy measure to the MMI. Participants were 196 health science candidates who completed both the MMI and the EQ-i as part of their admissions procedure at the Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences. Three types of analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the two tools: reliability analyses, correlational analyses, and a t-test. The tools were found to be moderately reliable. No significant relationships were found between the MMI and the EQ-i at the total or subscale level. The ability of the EQ-i to discriminate between accepted and not-accepted students was also not supported. These findings do not support the use of the EQ-i as a potential pre-screening tool for the MMI, but rather highlight the need to exercise caution when using emotional intelligence instruments for high-stakes admissions purposes.
The Michener Institute for Applied Health Sciences, 222 St. Patrick Street, Toronto, ON, M5T 1V4, Canada.
Wendy
W
Yen
Richard
R
Hovey
Kathryn
K
Hodwitz
Su
S
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001242:Assertiveness; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D057566:Self Report; D012941:Social Responsibility; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult