An Investigation of Well-Being and Personality Traits in Youth: Emotional Intelligence as a Mediator

Abstract

The well-being of the youth is of great concern for healthy community development and societal progress. The present study explores the relations of personality traits with well-being (WB), mediated by emotional intelligence (EI) in Pakistani youth. A cross-sectional research design was applied to collect data from 703 students (Mean age= 20.65 years, SD= 1.38) selected by stratified random sampling technique from the University of Gujrat. The Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT, Schutte et al., 1998), Personal Well-Being (Office for National Statistics, 2021), and Big Five Inventory (BFI, John & Srivastava, 1999) were used to assess emotional intelligence, well-being, and personality traits such as extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. Results showed significant positive correlation of WB with EI (r=.31, p<.01) and personality traits of extroversion (r=.29, p<.01), agreeableness (r=.10, p<.05), conscientiousness (r=.14, p<.01), and openness (r=.12, p<.01). However, significant negative correlation is found in wellbeing with emotional intelligence (r= -.91, p<0.01) and neuroticism (r= -.31, p<0.01). Emotional intelligence has partially mediated between extroversion (?=.08, p<.001) and neuroticism (?=-.04, p<.001) with well-being. However, complete mediation of EI is observed among conscientiousness (?=.12, p<.001), agreeableness (?=.09, p<.001), and openness (?=.14, p<.001) with well-being. Implications are discussed in the light of the present findings of the research.