THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND COUNSELOR TRAINEES' SELF DEVELOPMENT IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

This study is aimed at identifying the relationship between emotional intelligence and counselor trainees’ self-development. The sample consists of 128 final year students of counseling programs from five universities in Malaysia selected by random stratified sampling. This study uses a correlational study design. The instruments used are namely: Test Your EQ inventory by Davis (2004) and Supervisee Levels Questionnaire-Revised (SLQ-R) inventory by McNeill, Stoltenberg, and Romans (1992). Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation test. The results showed that there was significant relationship between emotional intelligence and counselor trainee’s self-development, r = .301, p < .05. Overall, these findings provide a strong implication for the counseling program at each institution of higher learning in Malaysia, in producing counselor trainees with emotional intelligence who know the needs in facing clients and giving client feedback.