Emotional Intelligence
Self-report 33-item Emotional Intelligence scale (Schutte et al., 1998). Instant total score with population references.
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Introduction
Emotional Intelligence refers to the ability to perceive and use emotions for decision making. It is widely discussed across psychology, leadership and business.
The scale below is based on Schutte and colleagues (1998). On the 33–165 range, typical group means include women ≈131, men ≈125; therapists tend to score higher than prisoners and substance abuse clients.
What is emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence (EI) refers to the skills and habits people use to perceive, understand, and manage emotions in themselves and others. This questionnaire measures trait EI: how you typically behave and feel in everyday emotional situations, as you describe it yourself. It is one overall self-report index — a reflection of your usual style, not an ability exam with right and wrong answers.
How the questionnaire works
You rate how much you agree with short statements about your typical emotional behavior. Some statements are deliberately reverse-worded to reduce the tendency to agree with everything. There is no time limit; most people finish in a few minutes. Answer about your usual self — not the person you would like to be — and answer spontaneously rather than calculating.
How to read your result
You get one total score shown as a percentage of the maximum. A higher percentage means you describe more emotionally effective habits overall. There are no diagnostic categories or pass marks here: two healthy, capable people can score very differently. The most useful comparison is with yourself — retake the questionnaire after some time and see what changed in how you describe yourself.
What this questionnaire cannot do
Self-reported trait EI overlaps only modestly with measured emotional skills: people can describe themselves kindly, modestly, or harshly regardless of their actual abilities. Answers are also shaped by mood and self-image at the moment of testing. This is not a diagnostic tool, and a low score does not mean something is wrong with you. Treat the result as a starting point for reflection.
References
- Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Hall, L. E., Haggerty, D. J., Cooper, J. T., Golden, C. J., & Dornheim, C. J. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 25, 167–77.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have another question? Let us know.
Is EQ like IQ?
They are different kinds of measures. IQ tests assess cognitive reasoning with problems that have correct answers; this questionnaire is a self-report of your typical emotional behavior, with no correct answers. The two numbers cannot be compared, and one does not predict the other.
Can emotional intelligence be improved?
Many of the habits behind trait EI — noticing emotions, naming them, taking perspectives, repairing conflicts — are trainable skills, and research on EI training programs shows promise. What this questionnaire measures is your self-description today; it does not train you, and retaking it is not proof of growth by itself.
Why do some statements sound similar or reversed?
Reversed statements (where agreement means the opposite) help counteract agreement bias — the tendency to say yes to everything. Similar-sounding statements measure the same habit from different angles, which makes the overall index more stable than any single item.
Is this a scientifically validated test?
It is a web adaptation in the tradition of trait EI research, suitable for self-reflection and orientation. It is not a standardized clinical or personnel-selection instrument, and results should not be used for hiring, diagnosis, or any high-stakes decision.
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