The Effects of Parenting Practices in the Development of Children ’ s Emotional Intelligence

The study investigates the parenting practices and styles of Spanish parents and the way they influence the development of the emotional intelligence of their children. 159 children, 154 mothers and 111 fathers participated in the study. Four dimensions of emotional intelligence were measured, intrapersonal, interpersonal, adaptability, stress management. Parents answered three different questionnaires about their parenting styles. Factorial analysis revealed the underlying parenting variables. Data was collected also on the time that parent spend with their children and the types of things they do together. Results show different correlations between the emotional intelligence dimensions and the parental variables.