Enhancing Emotional Intelligence Through ePortfolio Self-Initiated Strategies

The study objective was to determine if self-identified initiated strategies to enhance emotional intelligence (EI) through ePortfolio assignments resulted in EI changes from the first to third years in a professional pharmacy program. The Emotional Intelligence Appraisal (EIA) tool was used to measure proficiency in four EI skill areas (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship management). Each semester for their ePortfolio, students identified three personal improvement strategies to implement in an EI area. Outcome measures were EIA score changes, activity implementation/success, and the association between P3 GPA and EIA scores. Two class years were included (N = 136). Most students (52%-60%) improved EIA scores from the P1 to P3 years, with increases significantly related to numbers of activities successfully implemented (p = 0.04). For those with perceived successful implementation of all activities in at least one EI skill area, from 73% (relationship management) to 94% (self-awareness) improved their score in that area. With failure to implement any strategies for a specific area, from 73% (social awareness) to 87.5% (relationship management) had a score decrease in that area. No significant correlations were seen with scores and GPA. Self-identified and initiated activities through ePortfolio assignments provide a viable approach for improving students’ EI skills.