Exploring EFL Teachers’ Emotional Intelligence: A Mixed-Methods Approach

This study explores the emotional intelligence of middle school English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Northeast China, aiming to assess its factor structure and factor levels. Using a revised version of the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, data were collected from 1,017 participants. The results indicate that the teachers generally exhibited a high level of emotional intelligence, with relatively high scores in all four sub-dimensions: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and interpersonal connection. Additionally, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methods to validate the factor structure of EI. The findings reveal that teachers with higher EI tend to show greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and motivation, which contributes to their overall job satisfaction and effective teaching practices. The results also underscore the importance of EI in coping with emotional challenges in the classroom and its potential role in improving educational quality.