This thesis is offered as a series of three studies which applies the 3 + 1Cs relationship model (Jowett, 2007) to the study of the trainer-client interpersonal relationship in structured health-related fitness environments. The proposition that a rewarding and enjoyable working relationship should play an essential role in developing a client s motivation for, and commitment to, exercise is intuitive. However, the conceptual basis of this relationship, along with its determinants and consequences, remains to be investigated in trainer-led exercise settings. By establishing the theoretical suitability of the 3 + 1Cs model for this context, the thesis provides a valid framework for future study of this topic. It addresses a gap in the extant research by investigating whether the trainer-client relationship is a significant social variable which has the potential to promote adaptive motivation towards exercise and psychological well-being. The first study interviewed trainer client dyads to determine how the underlying constructs of the 3 + 1Cs model were expressed in the context of their interpersonal working relationship and to evaluate the applicability of the model. The second study used the code categories generated in the first study to develop and validate a questionnaire designed to measure relationship quality in client-trainer dyads. Evaluation of the structural validity of the questionnaire was used to provide further confirmation of the relevance of the 3C + 1 relationship model to this context. The third study used this questionnaire to investigate some of the antecedents and determinants of the trainer-client relationship in a sample of exercisers. Client perceptions of the trainer s trait emotional intelligence was investigated as a relationship antecedent. The psychological consequences of the relationship were tested using Self-Determination Theory (SDT: Deci & Ryan, 2000) by examining the association of relationship perceptions with need satisfaction, intrinsic and identified motivational regulation and psychological well-being (subjective vitality). The findings of these studies support the conceptual validity of the 3Cs for the study of client-trainer relationships in health-related exercise. The validation of the 12-item Client-Trainer Relationship Questionnaire (CTR-Q) and confirmation of its structural and criterion validity endorses this conclusion. Clients perceptions of their working relationship were found to be significantly and positively related to their perceptions of their trainer s trait emotional intelligence (a relationship antecedent). Relationship quality was also significantly and positively associated with the psychological consequences of psychological need satisfaction. In turn psychological need satisfaction was significantly associated with autonomous motivational regulation and subjective vitality. In conclusion, the thesis has shown that the client-trainer relationship operates as a key social variable congruent with SDT propositions to affect clients motivation and psychological well-being. The effectiveness of this relationship can be influenced by a potentially modifiable personal characteristic of the trainer, namely trait emotional intelligence.

As the growing body of literature draws on various theoretical perspectives of ambidexterity - an organization’s ability to balance both exploration and exploitation activities - an important stream has emerged that focuses on the role of leaders in the development of ambidexterity. This thesis is seeking to advance knowledge on how SME leaders engage in ambidextrous leadership to respond to the complexities of innovation and improve employee’s innovative behaviors as well as overall business performance. Using survey generated data from 98 SMEs, the first paper reveals that opening and closing leadership behaviors predicted employee explorative and exploitative innovation behaviors respectively above all control variables. The combination of both leadership behaviors also predicted employee ambidexterity. A significant revelation was that the effect of ambidextrous leadership behaviors on employee innovation behaviors is mediated by adaptive/flexible leadership behavior. The second paper investigates the association of potentially relevant antecedents: personality traits, emotional intelligence, adaptive/flexible leadership, transformational leadership and transactional leadership to ambidextrous leadership behaviors (including opening leadership behaviors and closing leadership behaviors). With the exception of personality traits which showed no relationship to ambidextrous leadership, the other independent variables showed varying relationships to ambidextrous leadership. Using a qualitative methodology (interviews), the third paper explores ambidextrous leadership behaviors in female entrepreneurs in relation to gender-role identity. Our findings from semi-structured interviews with 14 female entrepreneurs in Wales reveal that female leaders in our study are mostly androgynous and ambidextrous. Our results demonstrate that female entrepreneurs have little or no consideration for gender stereotypes in performing their leadership duties. Rather, greater focus is placed on demonstrating their competence using traits and leadership behaviors that drive goal accomplishment including the integration of stereotypic masculine and feminine leadership behaviors as considered necessary. Additionally, we observe that the choice of leadership behavior/trait that is emphasized at any point in time is contingent on contextual or situational demands of work as well as individual competencies of the entrepreneur. Overall, this thesis highlights theoretical and practical implications for ambidextrous leadership. Further, it provides steps towards effective understanding of ambidextrous leadership development and practical applications. This thesis indicates that ambidextrous leadership is important for SMEs seeking to enhance employee innovative work behaviors.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / Literature on the experiences of psychology students is limited, particularly in the South African context of previously disadvantaged institutions. More specifically, not much is known about levels of emotional intelligence (EI) and coping during higher education training. Successful academic performance depends on adherence to EI criteria, including accurate acknowledgement of, and responses to emotions in others, efficiently negotiating relationships and directing one’s motivations towards explicit goals. Coping refers to the constantly changing cognitive and behavioural responses that attempt to manage internal and/or external stressors. This study aimed to understand the relationship between emotional intelligence and coping, and tested the hypothesis that higher levels of emotional intelligence will be associated with higher levels of coping. It adopted a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional survey research design. The sample included 114 students who were enrolled in the psychology third- year and honours programmes at the University of the Western Cape at the time of the study. A purposive, convenience sampling method was used, and data was collected using a self- constructed demographic questionnaire (DQ), the Assessing Emotions Scale (AES), and the Ways of Coping Scale (WOCS). The Statistical Software Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse the data. Correlational analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were applied. Ethical stipulations included that participation was voluntary, the identity of respondents was kept anonymous, and confidentiality was respected. The findings indicated that there was no significant relationship between EI and coping. Conversely, it was found that students who worked while studying displayed increased levels of EI, and those who intended to further their studies on master’s level, utilised higher-level coping strategies. Recommendations are therefore that further studies include actual measured abilities to complement the self-report instrument used in this study.

Workplace bullying has escalated among U.S. workers, and aside from its mental and physical toll, it can affect productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. Researchers have identified the primary causes of workplace bullying as envy, leadership disregard, a permissive climate, organizational culture, and personality traits. This non experimental, quantitative study investigated the predictors of workplace bullying at the target level, and specifically examined if target EI, age, gender, and/or race/ethnicity predicts experienced workplace bullying. Participants (N = 151) 18 years or older with one year of work experience were recruited from the WBI database, a newspaper column, public presentations, and a blog. Participants completed the Negative Acts Questionnaire to assess experienced workplace bullying, the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (Short Form) to assess EI, and a demographic questionnaire. A Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Global trait EI and the 4 trait EI factors of well-being, self-control, emotionality, and sociability were not statistically significantly related to workplace bullying. Further, EI, age, gender, and race/ethnicity were also not related to workplace bullying. Further research is suggested, to include examining organizational effects on workplace bullying. The implications for social change it that resources currently allocated for target can be more appropriately directed toward supervisors and the organization's culture.

The experience of occupational stress has long been implicated in the development of negative outcomes for the individual employee and the employing organisation. General well-being as well as levels of job satisfaction and organisational commitment have been identified in the literature as decreasing as a result of the experience occupational stress. The intertwined relationship between occupational stress and emotion has also been proposed to play a role in the stress�outcomes relationship. Although emotions are an integral and inseparable part of everyday organisational life, they are difficult to measure and as such have generally been ignored in the organisational literature. Recent research has begun to focus on the role of emotions in the workplace and a development from this approach has been to conceptually examine the relationship between cognition and emotions. This movement has largely been attributed to new research around the construct of Emotional Intelligence (EI). Emotional Intelligence involves behaviours related to the experience of emotion; specifically EI involves expressing, recognising, understanding and managing emotions. Despite the interest in workplace EI, very little empirical research has examined the role EI may play in occupational stress. This thesis systematically examined the relationship between EI and the occupational stress process, including stressors, strains (health), and outcomes of stress (job satisfaction and organisational commitment). The first study of this thesis involved the administration of a questionnaire to 320 employees. The results of Study 1 indicate that four dimensions of EI were particularly important in the occupational stress process: Emotional Recognition and Expression, Understanding Emotions, Emotional Management and Emotional Control. It was concluded that utilising EI was related to the experience of occupational stress, and to the outcomes of occupational stress (both health and attitudes), such that employees who reported using EI were less likely to report feelings of stress, ill-health and lowered satisfaction and commitment. The results of Study 1 provided a rationale for the development of an EI training program, a program to teach employees how to utilise the dimensions of EI more effectively in the workplace and to teach them how to deal with the negative emotions that arise from the experience of occupational stress. The prevalence of occupational stress in the Australian workforce is increasing and as a consequence many stress management intervention programs have surfaced in the literature, although none with emphasis on utilising emotions more effectively. The aim of Study 2 in this thesis was to develop, implement and evaluate an EI training program which had an emphasis on stress management. Study 2 involved the development of a five-session group training program and a standardised training manual. The training program was evaluated in terms of the variables identified in Study 1 (EI, occupational stress, strains, and outcomes of stress). The sample consisted of 79 teachers (55 with complete data sets). Baseline measures were taken at two time intervals prior to participation in the EI training program. Participants were assessed immediately after participation in the program and at a five-week follow-up interval. The findings of Study 2 demonstrated the effectiveness of the EI training program in terms of improving levels of EI, decreasing feelings of stress and strain and improving the outcomes of stress. These changes were evident immediately after completion of the training program and were maintained (or improved upon) at the follow-up time period. However there were some limitations to Study 2. Specifically, the short duration of the training program, the short follow-up time interval (of only five weeks) and the use of secondary stress management prevention tools were each limitations of this training program. Further research is necessary to address these limitations and to more accurately determine the efficacy of the training program developed in this thesis. Despite the limitations of Study 2, the EI training program implemented and evaluated in this thesis illustrated that a training program focussed on the emotional experiences of employees is able to successfully engage employees and assist them in dealing with the experience of occupational stress and the consequences of stress. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that the EI training program was successful in improving the employee�s level of EI, providing support for the theory that EI can be learned and developed. Overall, the development and implementation of an EI training program, in this thesis, demonstrated that behaviours underpinning the dimensions of EI can be learned and that training programs focussed on the emotional experiences of employees in the workplace can be effective in improving employee well-being and in decreasing feelings of occupational stress. The results of this thesis therefore provide support for including EI training programs as part of stress management for employees.

This thesis investigated the relative importance of six emotional intelligence (EI) abilities comprising the Swinburne University Emotional Intelligence Test (SUEIT) in the prediction of (1) psychological resilience to negative life events, (2) romantic relationship adjustment and communication behaviour, and (3) employability skills. In Study 1, the strength of relationship between negative life events and distress varied across three latent classes, reflecting vulnerable, average, and resilient profiles. Graduated EI scores, in terms of emotional self-awareness, ability to express, and self-manage emotions, predicted membership to each class. Across the 414 survey respondents, these three EI abilities appeared to augment psychological resilience in the aftermath of negative life events. In Study 2, all six EI abilities were found to be weakly associated with dyadic adjustment, and moderately associated with eight relationship enhancing communication behaviours. The eight behaviours were themselves moderately to very strongly associated with adjustment. Mediation analyses revealed that each EI ability influenced dyadic adjustment through the communication behaviours it best predicted. Across the 116 romantic partners surveyed, those better able to express and self-manage emotion communicated in the most relationship enhancing ways. In Study 3, four of the six EI abilities were found to be differentially important in the prediction of seven Adaptive Performance dimensions, five Conflict Management strategies, three forms of Organizational Commitment, and seven Achievement Motivations. The abilities to think clearly under pressure, identify others' emotions, self-manage emotions, and manage others' emotions made valuable contributions, while emotional self-awareness, and the ability to express emotion, did not. Across the 105 workers surveyed, those with these four EI abilities appeared to have decidedly stronger employability skills, skills that distinguish between more and less successful workers of similar education and vocational experience, across all job families. These findings are largely consistent with EI theory, and with the small body of research to have examined similar effects in similar domains. Importantly however, the current findings offer much more specific insights into the relative importance of each EI ability in each context, and thus, the means by which emotional intelligence contributes to a psychologically healthy, intimately connected, and vocationally valuable life.

Dr. Turner investigates whether an awareness of Emotional Intelligence competencies (EC) will impact the levels of job satisfaction and general job performance of the individual project team member as a predictor of project outcome. She undertook and constructed an empirical research project based on a project team EC enrichment framework. EC Team enrichment advocates the development of emotional competencies to achieve measurable improvements in job satisfaction and performance. The research was conducted in the United States defense industry environment and surveyed the project team members of a large-scale, dynamic project. This study was experimental in nature and the research was based on a quantitative approach tailored to minimize threats to validity through the use of a control group. Additionally, it involved elements of related qualitative research to interpret findings. An empirically-based, working hypothesis was presented to the effect that, a greater potential of project success can be realized by introducing information on emotional development to enhance behavioral competencies of all project team members. The case study included three distinct phases for pretest, treatment, and post-test. Results support the concept that an introduction to the concept of emotional intelligence can have a statistically significant impact on project performance through improvement of individual ratings for job satisfaction and professional performance.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M.A. (Psychology))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

Bipolar I disorder (BD) is one of the leading causes of disability among adults. Despite the fact that those with BD are at significantly greater risk for experiencing psychosocial hardship, many with the disorder function quite well. Researchers have shown this variability in quality of life to be partly explained by symptom severity, educational attainment, illness characteristics, and cognitive variables (e.g., executive function). The current study extends this research by examining the role of emotional intelligence in the quality of life and social and occupational functioning of people with BD. I hypothesized a significant proportion of the variance in quality of life and social and occupational functioning would be explained by emotional intelligence, above and beyond the variance explained by the aforementioned variables. Forty-two participants with BD were recruited and completed a battery of measures to assess quality of life, cognition, and emotional intelligence. Results indicated that emotional intelligence, as measured by the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, did not explain any unique variance in quality of life. Self-reported emotional intelligence, on the other hand, did explain unique variance in both subjective well-being and social functioning.