Emotional intelligence of IKBN youth and the relationship with personality attributes

Emotional intelligence (EI) is an ability that should be possessed by youth of the National Youth Skill Training Institute (IKBN). IKBN youth need EI to be successful in technical skills training environment and competent to be employed. The objective of this study was to evaluate the EI and personality of IKBN youths and to identify the relationship between EI and personality attributes. The sample for this study consisted of 1415 IKBN youths from 20 IKBN institutes throughout Malaysia, which were divided into two categories; IKBN with and without Centre of Excellence status. This study used the survey method utilizing two instruments; the Malaysian Youth Emotional Intelligence Scale (MYEIS) and the Big Five Inventory (BFI). The reliability of EI was found to be 0.87 and the reliability of personality attributes was in the range of 0.88 to 0.92. The analysis showed EI of IKBN youth in both categories were high. The study also found significant relationships between EI and personality attributes among the youth of the both categories of IKBN. In IKBN without Centre of Excellence status, the correlation between EI and extraversion, EI and agreeableness and EI and conscientiousness was moderate. The correlation between EI and openness to experience was low and there was a little correlation between EI and neuroticism. While, in IKBN with Centre of Excellence status, the correlation between EI and extraversion, EI and agreeableness, EI and conscientiousness and EI and openness to experience was moderate. Correlation between EI and neuroticism was very little. The findings showed new discoveries among youth that are utilization of emotion, happiness, optimism, and handling relationships. These are new findings that could be investigated in the future research in this area.