Emotional plasticity: the impact of the development of
emotional competence on well-being.
Conditions, effects and change processes
A thesis submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for
the Degree of Doctor of Psychology
Université Libre de Bruxelles
Ilios Kotsou
Advisor: Pr. Christophe Leys
Let's not forget that the little emotions are the great captains
of our lives and we obey them without realizing it
Vincent Van Gogh (1889)
1There is nothing more practical than a good theory
Kurt Lewin (1952)
2Cover image : Olive Trees with Yellow Sky and Sun November 1889 73.6 x 92.7 cm Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minneapolis (F710)
1Letter to Theo (July 1889)
2
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Contents' !
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Contents
Foreword 11
Introduction Health, quality of life and well-being 12
Chapter 1 Emotional competencies: a theoretical review 18
Abstract 19
Introduction 20
Aims of the paper 22
An overview of main EC models 22
EC models 23
Our definition of EC 26
A focus on voluntary processes 27
What does EC predict in life outcomes 30
Psychological well-being 30
Investigating the main EC dimensions 40
Identification of emotions 40
Understanding of emotions 45
Management of emotions or emotion regulation (ER) 50
Expressing emotions 56
Use of emotions 61
Discussion 64
The question of how EC is defined 64
Is EC always adaptive? 67
EC change 68
Conclusion 69
Rationale from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2 70
Is EC change possible? 71
Elements in disfavour of the hypothesis of EI plasticity 71
Elements in favour of the hypothesis of EI plasticity 72
Chapter 2 Improving emotional intelligence: a systematic review of the
existing work and future challenges 74
Under review: Emotion Review
Abstract 75
Introduction 76
Studies on the perceived importance of EI trainings in different environments 76
A systematic review of EI training studies 78
Method 78
Results 91
Limitations and recommendations related to research design characteristics 94 Limitations and recommendations related to research reporting 97
Future directions 98
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Chapter 3 Emotional Competency Training (ECT): A pragmatic framework
for dealing with our feelings 101
Abstract 102
Introduction 103
The importance of EC 104
Results of previous ECT interventions studies 105
Emotional Competence Training 106
Emotion identification 108
Emotion understanding 112
Emotion expression 115
Emotion management 122
Key elements of pedagogy 127
Discussion 129
Theoretical considerations 130
Perspectives and future directions 131
Chapter 4 Overview of the empirical section 133
What are the well-being benefits associated with EC improvement? 134
What are the moderators of EC improvement? 138
What are the change-processes involved in EC outcomes improvement? 139
Conclusion and rationale of the empirical part 142
Chapter 5 Increasing Emotional Competence Improves Psychological and Physical Well-Being, Social Relationships, and Employability
(Studies 1 & 2) 144 Published: Emotion, 2011 Abstract 145 Experiment 1 150 Method 150 EC intervention 151 Procedure 152 Results 153 Discussion 155 Experiment 2 156 Method 156 EC intervention 159
Improvisation Drama intervention 159
Procedure 160
Results 160
Discussion 161
Summary and concluding discussions 161
Chapter 6 Emotional Plasticity: Conditions and Effects of Improving
Emotional Competence in Adulthood (Study 3) 179
Published: Journal of Applied Psychology, 2011
! Contents' ! ! ! 8 Method 186 Sample 186 Procedure 187
Content of the intervention 190
Methodology of the intervention 190
Measures 191
Results 193
Preliminary analyses 193
Change in emotional competence 193
Change in psychological, somatic and social adjustment 199
Mediated changes 199
Moderator variables 200
Long-term effects 200
Discussion 200
Conditions of EC improvement inherent to the participants 201
Conditions of EC improvement inherent to the intervention 202
Effects of the intervention 203
Limitations and future directions 204
Rationale from Chapter 6 to Chapter 7 207
Chapter 7 Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS): Psychometric Properties of The French Translation and Its Relations with Psychological Well-
Being (Study 4) 209
Accepted: Canadian Journal of Behavioural science
Abstract 210
Method 213
Participants 213
Data analysis 213
Procedure 213
Study 1: exploratory analysis of the SHS-F 213
Method 213
Results 214
Study 2: confirmatory analysis and convergent validity 215
Method 215
Results and discussion 216
Factorial structure 216
Descriptive statistics and correlations 218
Convergent validity 218
Discussion 219
Limitations and future directions 220
Chapter 8 Acceptance is a better predictor of psychopathology and well-being than emotional competence, emotion regulation and mindfulness
(Study 5) 222
Submitted: Journal of Affective Disorders
Abstract 223
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Method 227
Participants 227
Procedure 227
Materials 227
Results and discussion 229
Correlations 229
Multiple regression analysis 231
Discussion 235
Limitations and future directions 236
Chapter 9 Self-compassion scale (SCS): Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Psychometric Properties of the French Translation. (Study 6) 238
Published, PloS one, 2016
Abstract 239 Introduction 240 Method 242 Participants 242 Materials 242 Procedure 244
Results and discussion 245
Factorial structure 245
Correlations 247
Application: Testing the moderation of SCS on the link between affect and depression
248
Discussion 251
Limitations and future directions 252
Chapter 10 Self-Kindness Scale (SKS): Psychometric Properties and Its Relations with Psychological Well-Being, Emotion Regulation and
Depression (Study 7) 256
Under review: Assessment
Abstract 257 Introduction 258 Method 261 Participants 261 Data analysis 261 Procedure 261
Study 1: scale development and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) 262
Scale construction and items generation 262
Results of the EFA 262
Reliability 263
Study 2: confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity and incremental validity 263
Participants 263
Materials 264
Results 265
Discussion 270
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Chapter 11 Emotional competence and subjective well-being: investigating the active ingredients of emotional change in a randomized controlled
study (Study 8) 273 Abstract 274 Introduction 275 Emotional acceptance 275 Behavioral flexibility 276 Hypotheses 277 Method 278
Participants and design 278
Procedure 279
Content of the interventions 279
Measures 280
Results 281
Preliminary analyses 281
Change in EC 283
Changes in well-being 283
Changes in mediating processes 283
Mediations 287
Discussion 289
Mediating processes 290
Limitations and future directions 291
Conclusion
Chapter 12 General discussion 293
Synthesis of our empirical data 295
Which are the well-being benefits associated with EC improvement? 295
Which are the factors that influence EC improvement? 300
Which are the change processes involved in the improvement of EC outcomes? 301
Clinical implications 306
Limitations, questions and perspectives 308
EC measurement 308
The definition of EC 310
Definition and function of EC change mediators 311
The issue of flexibility 312
EC and culture 315
Measurement of EC outcomes 316
Limitations due to participants’ characteristics 316
Future applications 317
Conclusion 319
References 321
