Positive Psychology, Mindfulness, Psychotherapy and Social Sciences

Biography

Biography: Silvia da Costa

Abstract

Emotional creativity is the ability to experience and express emotions in a novel, effective and authentic way (Soroa et al., 2015). This ability is measure with the ECI-S scale (see figure 1). Study 1. A sample (N=112, 66% women, mean age 30) of workers and organizational master students filled in the ECI-S scale, the emotional self-regulation scale, MARS, adjustment to work stress, interpersonal emotional regulation scales EROS and EIM, as well as the Emotional Intelligence facet of emotion management measured by MSCEIT. Reliabilities were satisfactory for all the scales and confirmatory factor analysis found that ECI-S three dimensions fit well the data. ECI scores were related to adaptive forms of self- and hetero-regulation, to stress adjustment and to MSCEIT. Study 2. A sample of 428 Chilean students, 63.5% women, mean age 20) filled in ECI-S, a scale of positive emotions and another of intrinsic motivation (IM) and academic engagement (AE). ECI-S scores were associated to positive emotions, such as gratitude, love and hope, in the classroom. ECI-S predicts IM and AE by mediation of positive emotions. Study 3. In a sample of organizational master students (N=55; mean age 24) ECI-S was associated to creativity evaluated by judges of the solution given to a labor conflict r = .29, to reevaluation r = .24, active physiological regulation r = .29, search for information r = .27, to low abandonment r = -.23 and low suppression of MARS r = -.23, all p <.05. Study 4. In educational and social intervention workers from three nations (N=1440, K=80) wellbeing assessed by PHI correlates r =.14 with ECI. ECI is a useful tool because show structural and construct validity, was associated to adaptive regulation, stress adjustment, motivation and engagement, cognitive creativity and wellbeing, showing that is a factor conducive to mental health.