Emotional Intelligence in Education

Emotional intelligence (EI) has emerged in the past twenty five years as one of the crucial components of emotional adjustment, personal well-being, life success, and interpersonal relationship in different contexts of everyday life. This article provides a critical review of the research field of EI in the school context and analyzes its present and future value for educational policies in the Spanish educational system. First, the authors examine the debate on educational policies to provide children the best posible start in life in different countries (e.g., United Kingdom, United States and Spain), and the development of EI abilities. Second, they present theoretical models of EI and describe in detail the Mayer and Salovey model (1997). Third, the authors summarize research concerning the relevance of EI to personal and school success indicators as interpersonal relationship, academic achievement, and personal and social adjustment. Finally, they conclude with some recommendations for the development of EI in the school and several implications for future educational policies in Spain.