Emotional Intelligence and emotional Stroop interference in participants with high vs. low trait anxiety

Participants in this research were selected on the basis of their high vs. low score on STAI and performed an emotional stroop colour-naming task and filled in the TMMS. Results showed that participants who scored high on anxiety took longer in naming the colour of negative threatening words than that of positive words. Futhermore, participants scoring below the median on the Clarity factor of the TMMS showed the emotional stroop interference. Finally, we observed that participants in the high anxiety group showed emotional stroop interference independently of their TMMS Attention level. However, participants with low anxiety score only showed the emotional stroop interference provided a low level of Attention. In contrast, the opposite effect, i.e., longer responses for positive words, was shown by low anxiety participants who scored high on Attention. The overall patter of results is discussed in the context of their relevance for understanding Emotional Intelligence, as measured by the TMMS, and its relation to anxiety. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)