Rasch model analysis of the Situational Test of Emotional Understanding – brief in a large Portuguese sample

Abstract

The conceptualization of Emotional Intelligence (EI) has a significant impact on the construct’s operationalization and measurement The current study analyses the Situational Test of Emotion Understanding – Brief (STEU-B), a test devised to assess the ability to understand emotional experiences This cross-sectional study includes Rasch Model analysis in a sample of 899 participants from the Portuguese general population, between 14 and 72 years old (M = 22.46) The measure showed adequate psychometric properties, with good global and item fit, and adequate range of item difficulty. Differential item functioning was explored by gender, level of education and age. Divergent and convergent validity were explored with gender, age, and performance in computerized social and complex cognition tasks The current work suggests the STEU-B is a psychometrically sound test that assesses emotional understanding, and it constitutes an important contribution to the diversification of EI-related measures as well as to research aimed at refining our current understanding of emotional understanding and related abilities.