The Development and Validation of the Emotional Literacy Skills Scale

Abstract

Emotional literacy is the ability to understand, express and regulate emotions in social contexts. It emphasizes the ability to communicate with certain feeling words in interpersonal relationships. It stands as a bridge between the thoughts and emotions of school stakeholders, contributing to more effective learning, safer schools, and a democratic climate (O’Hara, 2011). It is possible to teach emotions academically, even to make them a part of the curriculum (Antidote, 2003); however, it is essential to also see emotional literacy as a vital skill through the values of the school and the behaviors of teachers. Therefore, it is valuable to evaluate the emotions of teachers in the school environment. To do this, it was the aim of this study to develop a reliable and valid measurement tool -- the Emotional Literacy Skills Scale (ELSS). The validity of the model was confirmed via exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. We found a Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient of .85. The findings showed that the Emotional Literacy Skills Scale is valid and reliable and formed by five factors: Motivation, empathy, self-regulation, emotional awareness, and social skills.