by Marcelo Chávez Galleguillos, Misael Silas Letelier Sánchez and Nicolás Alejandro Torres Gámez
ABSTRACT
The study aims to analyse the relationship between intrapersonal competencies and the management of teaching tension, as a function of personal and work satisfaction, in higher education teachers. The Emotional Competencies Inventory (ECI) was administered to a sample of 974 teachers from public and private universities in Chile August to October 2023. This quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional approach was selected to address the research question in a rigorous and systematic manner. A variety of dimensions were addressed, including intrapersonal and interpersonal competence, adaptability, stress management, and general mood. The statistical analysis encompassed a range of methods, including descriptive measures, Pearson correlations, linear regression models, and interaction analysis. The internal consistency of the instrument was substantiated by a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.95, indicating the reliability of the data. The results indicate a high prevalence of intrapersonal competencies in the sample (M = 107.8), with interpersonal skills and adaptability following closely behind. However, the dimension of stress management exhibited the lowest mean value (M = 46.0), thereby underscoring the necessity to fortify this area in teacher training and well-being programs. A notable distinction emerged based on gender and years of experience: male educators exhibited an escalating trend in their emotional competencies as their teaching tenure extended, while in female educators, this relationship was inverse, marked by a substantial decline in the CEG score among those with over a decade of experience. The study’s findings indicate that socio-emotional skills are a critical element for teacher wellbeing, particularly in highly demanding contexts. It is recommended that training strategies be implemented with an emphasis on developing skills for stress management, considering differences by gender, institution type, and years of professional practice. This work offers pertinent empirical evidence for the development of educational policies that are intended to promote comprehensive emotional development among university teachers.
