Meta-Analysis of Emotional Intelligence in Stress Management

Purpose: During the last few decades, studies on theoretical models of emotional intelligence and stress management in the fields of psychology, organizational behaviour, and HRM, have attracted the attention of researchers. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the studies on the relationship between emotional intelligence and stress management to identify the research gaps in this area and to prepare a future research agenda. Design/Methodology/Approach: The method of systematic literature was employed for this review. The authors highlight the findings from prior studies based on the articles/papers/press notes published in reputed journals and provide directions for research. Findings: Of the reviewed research papers/articles/press notes, 91 sources helped us establish a relationship between emotional intelligence and stress management, 15 of which indicated an evident inverse relationship, and 29 were linked to their common constructs, which helped us conclude that emotional intelligence and stress management are highly correlated. The authors find that there are several areas that were underexplored in prior research. There is great potential for theoretical extension and theory development in this field because it covers the tenets of three subjects: psychology, organizational behaviour, and human resource management. Originality/value: There is no comprehensive review exploring the relationships and common constructs of emotional intelligence and stress management based on all the articles published in well-regarded academic journals. This review seeks to provide deeper insights, which will help us to contribute to the development of this research field.