Global Trends in Emotional Intelligence Research and Their Implications for Education: A Bibliometric Analysis (2010–2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33394/jp.v13i2.19332Keywords:
emotional intelligence, Bibliometrics, research trends, ability model, self-report, education, mental health.Abstract
This study aims to analyze the development of emotional intelligence research and its implications for educational practice through a bibliometric analysis of global scientific publications. Using the Scopus Performance Analysis approach, a dataset of 28,404 articles indexed in Scopus between 2010 and 2025 was examined. Descriptive bibliometric techniques were employed, including annual publication trends, author productivity, institutional contributions, and thematic evolution, to identify dominant research patterns and emerging directions. The findings indicate substantial growth in emotional intelligence research over the past decade, peaking in 2021, reflecting increasing attention to social-emotional competencies in education, mental health, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis shows a shift from early trait-based and self-report approaches toward integrative models linking emotional intelligence with psychological capital, educational outcomes, and emerging digital technologies such as artificial intelligence. These developments underscore the growing recognition of emotional intelligence as a critical factor in supporting student well-being, learning engagement, and adaptive skills in contemporary educational environments. This study provides a comprehensive mapping of emotional intelligence research evolution and identifies key gaps for future studies. For the Indonesian educational context, the findings highlight the importance of integrating emotional intelligence into curriculum design, teacher training, and social-emotional learning initiatives to strengthen students’ psychological resilience and learning readiness in an increasingly complex digital era.
References
Abdul Wahab, A. A., Fauzi, M. A., & Yusoff, S. R. (2023). Bibliometric review of emotional intelligence and psychological capital. International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 31(3), 456-478. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOA-09-2021-2942
Afiatin, T., Wulandari, N. F., & Sulistyani, C. (2023). Emotional intelligence and psychological resilience among Indonesian government employees: A cross-sectional study. Asian Journal of Social Psychology, 26(2), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajsp.12534
Al Shidi, A. A. M. A., Abuhassna, H., & Awae, F. (2025). Emotional intelligence and its role in motivation, leadership, and academic success: A bibliometric mapping with Islamic cultural insights. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 15(4), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v15-i4/20567
Anwar, G., Abdullah, N. N., & Talukder, D. (2023). Emotional intelligence and psychological capital: Their impact on employee performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Current Psychology, 42(15), 12854-12870. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02429-2
Bar-On, R. (2006). The Bar-On model of emotional-social intelligence. Psicothema, 18, 13-25.
Brackett, M. A., Rivers, S. E., & Salovey, P. (2011). Emotional intelligence: Implications for personal, social, academic, and workplace success. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 5(1), 88-103. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00334.x
Brooks, S. K., Webster, R. K., Smith, L. E., Woodland, L., Wessely, S., Greenberg, N., & Rubin, G. J. (2020). The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence. The Lancet, 395(10227), 912-920. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8
Cabello, R., Gutiérrez-Cobo, M. J., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2024). Research trends and patterns on emotional intelligence in education: A bibliometric and knowledge mapping during 2012-2021. International Journal of Educational Research, 123, Article 102287. https://doi.org/10.1515/edu-2024-0025
Chaudhary, P., Rohtagi, M., Singh, R. K., & Arora, S. (2022). Impact of leader's e-competencies on employees' wellbeing in global virtual teams during COVID-19: The moderating role of emotional intelligence. Employee Relations: The International Journal, 44(5), 1048-1063. https://doi.org/10.1108/ER-10-2020-0464
Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional intelligence: Toward clarification of a concept. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 3(2), 110-126. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1754-9434.2010.01231.x
de Bellis, N. (2009). Bibliometrics and citation analysis: From the Science Citation Index to cybermetrics. Scarecrow Press.
Donthu, N., Kumar, S., Mukherjee, D., Pandey, N., & Lim, W. M. (2021). How to conduct a bibliometric analysis: An overview and guidelines. Journal of Business Research, 133, 285-296. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.04.070
Extremera, N., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2005). Perceived emotional intelligence and life satisfaction: Predictive and incremental validity using the Trait Meta-Mood Scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 39(5), 937-948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.03.012
Extremera, N., & Rey, L. (2016). Ability emotional intelligence and life satisfaction: Positive and negative affect as mediators. Personality and Individual Differences, 102, 98-101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.051
Fauzi, M. A., Wahab, A. A., & Yusoff, S. R. (2024). Mapping emotional intelligence and psychological capital research: A bibliometric analysis and future research agenda. Businesses, 4(2), 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/businesses4020010
García-Madurga, M. Á., Gil-Lacruz, A. I., Saz-Gil, I., & Gil-Lacruz, M. (2024). The role of artificial intelligence in improving workplace well-being: A systematic review. Businesses, 4(3), 389-410. https://doi.org/10.3390/businesses4030024
Gerhardt, K., Bauwens, R., & van Woerkom, M. (2025). Emotional intelligence and leader outcomes: A comprehensive review and roadmap for future inquiry. Journal of Management Development, 44(2), 156-182. https://doi.org/10.1177/15344843251342689
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.
Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. Bantam Books.
Gutiérrez-Cobo, M. J., Cabello, R., Megías-Robles, A., Gómez-Leal, R., Baron-Cohen, S., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2023). Does our cognitive empathy diminish with age? The moderator role of educational level. International Psychogeriatrics, 35(4), 207-214. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610221000624
Joseph, D. L., & Newman, D. A. (2010). Emotional intelligence: An integrative meta-analysis and cascading model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 54-78. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0017286
Keefer, K. V. (2015). Self-report measures of emotional intelligence. In C. Stough, D. H. Saklofske, & J. D. A. Parker (Eds.), The Wiley handbook of emotional intelligence (pp. 307-328). Wiley.
Keefer, K. V., Holzer, A. A., & Parker, J. D. A. (2023). Emotional intelligence measures: A systematic review of psychometric properties and clinical applications. Psychological Assessment, 35(4), 289-305. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0001201
Li, Y., Wang, L., & Zhang, H. (2023). Artificial intelligence and emotional intelligence in human resource management: A systematic review and future directions. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 34(8), 1542-1580. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2022.2134670
Li, Y., Wang, L., & Anwar, A. (2022). Psychological capital and job satisfaction among school teachers: The mediating role of emotional intelligence. Current Psychology, 41(15), 10825-10836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01298-y
Lievens, F., & Chan, D. (2017). Practical intelligence, emotional intelligence, and social intelligence. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 4, 349-375. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032516-113318
López-González, J., Fernández-Espinosa, V., & Ortiz de Montellano, S. (2024). Study of emotional intelligence and leadership competencies in university students. Cogent Education, 11(1), Article 2411826. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2411826
Loureiro, S. M. C., Romero, J., & Bilro, R. G. (2020). Stakeholder engagement in co-creation processes for innovation: A systematic literature review and case study. Journal of Business Research, 119, 388-409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.038
Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2000). Models of emotional intelligence. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Handbook of intelligence (pp. 396-420). Cambridge University Press.
Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2002). Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional intelligence test (MSCEIT) user's manual. Multi-Health Systems.
Mayer, J. D., Salovey, P., & Caruso, D. R. (2008). Emotional intelligence: New ability or eclectic traits? American Psychologist, 63(6), 503-517. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.63.6.503
Mérida-López, S., & Extremera, N. (2020). The interplay of emotional intelligence abilities and work engagement on job and life satisfaction among teachers: A structural equation model. Current Psychology, 41, 5491-5501. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-020-01088-6
O'Connor, P. J., Hill, A., Kaya, M., & Martin, B. (2021). The measurement of emotional intelligence: A critical review of the literature and recommendations for researchers and practitioners. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 721989. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.721989
Parker, J. D. A., Saklofske, D. H., & Keefer, K. V. (2022). Emotional intelligence in education. In R. J. Sternberg & P. B. McCardle (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of intelligence and cognitive neuroscience (pp. 271-290). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108913711.012
Parker, J. D. A., Saklofske, D. H., Wood, L. M., Eastabrook, J. M., & Taylor, R. N. (2012). Stability and change in emotional intelligence: Exploring the transition to young adulthood. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 30(2), 91-100. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734282911426407
Petrides, K. V., Mikolajczak, M., Mavroveli, S., Sanchez-Ruiz, M. J., Furnham, A., & Pérez-González, J. C. (2016). Developments in trait emotional intelligence research. Emotion Review, 8(4), 335-341. https://doi.org/10.1177/1754073916650493
Pitsi, S., Billsberry, J., & Barrett, M. (2023). A bibliometric review of research on intelligence in leadership studies. FIIB Business Review, 13(5), 528-541. https://doi.org/10.1177/23197145231187182
Rey, L., & Extremera, N. (2014). Positive psychological characteristics and interpersonal forgiveness: Identifying the unique contribution of emotional intelligence abilities, Big Five traits, gratitude and optimism. Personality and Individual Differences, 68, 199-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.04.030
Rey, L., Extremera, N., & Pena, M. (2011). Perceived emotional intelligence, self-esteem and life satisfaction in adolescents. Psychosocial Intervention, 20(2), 227-234. https://doi.org/10.5093/in2011v20n2a10
Ruiz-Ortega, A. M., & Berrios-Martos, M. P. (2025). The role of emotional intelligence and frustration intolerance in the academic performance of university students: A structural equation model. Journal of Intelligence, 13(8), 101. https://doi.org/10.3390/jintelligence13080101
Saklofske, D. H., Austin, E. J., & Minski, P. S. (2003). Factor structure and validity of a trait emotional intelligence measure. Personality and Individual Differences, 34(4), 707-721. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0191-8869(02)00056-9
Salovey, P., & Mayer, J. D. (1990). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185-211. https://doi.org/10.2190/DUGG-P24E-52WK-6CDG
Sánchez-Álvarez, N., Berrios-Martos, M. P., & Extremera, N. (2020). A meta-analysis of the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance in secondary education: A three-level meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 1351. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01351
Sharma, S., & Tiwari, V. (2024). Emotional intelligence in the field of business and management: A bibliometric analysis of the last two decades. Vision, 28(3), 445-465. https://doi.org/10.1177/09722629221132122
Sutarto, S., Adi, A., & Gunawan, W. (2022). Leadership development through emotional intelligence training: A systematic review. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 12(2), 55-63. https://doi.org/10.36941/jesr-2022-0036
Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523-538. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3
Vega, A., Cabello, R., Megías-Robles, A., Gómez-Leal, R., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2022). Emotional intelligence and aggressive behavior in adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 23(4), 1173-1183. https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380211002256
Wong, C. S., & Law, K. S. (2002). The effects of leader and follower emotional intelligence on performance and attitude: An exploratory study. The Leadership Quarterly, 13(3), 243-274. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1048-9843(02)00099-1
Yusoff, S. R., Abdullah, A. H., & Fauzi, M. A. (2023). The relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological capital among Malaysian employees: A systematic review. Malaysian Journal of Psychology, 35(2), 78-95. https://doi.org/10.17576/pengurusan-2023-57-06
Zupic, I., & Čater, T. (2015). Bibliometric methods in management and organization. Organizational Research Methods, 18(3), 429-472. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428114562629
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 The Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
License and Publishing Agreement
In submitting the manuscript to the journal, the authors certify that:
- They are authorized by their co-authors to enter into these arrangements.
- The work described has not been formally published before, except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture, review, thesis, or overlay journal.
- That it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere,
- That its publication has been approved by all the author(s) and by the responsible authorities tacitly or explicitly of the institutes where the work has been carried out.
- They secure the right to reproduce any material that has already been published or copyrighted elsewhere.
- They agree to the following license and publishing agreement.
Copyright
Authors who publish with Jurnal Paedagogy agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Licensing for Data Publication
-
Open Data Commons Attribution License, http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/by/1.0/ (default)
