Emotional Intelligence Development in Youth
A special issue of European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (ISSN 2254-9625).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1125
Special Issue Editors
Interests: emotional intelligence; adolescents; behaviors; engagement; burnout; healthcare
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
2. Comprehensive Health Research Center (CHRC), University of Evora, 7000-849 Evora, Portugal
Interests: emotional intelligence and socio-emotional development; mental health and wellbeing across the lifespan; self-regulation and learning; inclusive education; health psychology; school and university-based interventions; psychosocial determinants of wellbeing in children, adolescents, and young people
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Youth represents a critical stage of human development, characterized by profound emotional, cognitive, and social changes. During this period, individuals consolidate key competencies that play a decisive role in psychological well-being, interpersonal relationships, and successful adaptation to the demands of adulthood. Among these competencies, emotional intelligence occupies a central position.
Young people today are exposed to increasingly complex social environments, shaped by academic pressures, social expectations, intensive use of digital technologies, and evolving family and community dynamics. The ability to identify, understand, regulate, and express one’s own emotions as well as those of others has been consistently associated with better mental health outcomes, greater resilience, improved academic performance, and higher-quality social relationships. Conversely, difficulties in emotional intelligence are linked to elevated levels of anxiety, depression, risk-taking behaviors, and social maladjustment.
Emotional intelligence does not develop in isolation but emerges from dynamic interactions among individual, familial, educational, and sociocultural factors. Family emotional climate, parenting styles, and the quality of relationships with peers and educators play a crucial role in emotional learning throughout childhood and adolescence. Moreover, early experiences of emotional validation and secure attachment contribute to the development of adaptive emotional competencies that may persist across the life span.
A growing body of evidence indicates that educational and psychosocial interventions aimed at enhancing emotional intelligence can yield positive effects on emotional regulation, empathy, conflict resolution, and the prevention of mental health problems in youth. Nevertheless, further research is needed to rigorously evaluate these interventions and to develop and validate psychometric instruments that are sensitive to cultural, contextual, and developmental differences.
Longitudinal research suggests that emotional intelligence in youth may serve as a protective factor over time, influencing psychological health, social well-being, and academic and occupational success in adulthood. Therefore, comprehensive cross-sectional and longitudinal mapping of the relationships among emotional intelligence development, mental health, educational contexts, and life trajectories is essential to inform evidence-based policies, educational practices, and preventive interventions.
This Special Issue seeks to explore the multiple dimensions of emotional intelligence development in children, adolescents, and young people, as experienced and expressed across diverse cultural, educational, and socio-economic contexts. It welcomes original research articles (qualitative and quantitative, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies) as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses examining emotional competencies, related psychosocial outcomes, and measurement approaches.
Dr. Ana Belén Barragán Martín
Dr. Adelinda Araújo Candeias
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- emotional intelligence
- youth development
- adolescence
- psychological well-being
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