Exploring emotional intelligence, attitudes towards disability, and sexism among future teachers in Spain

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the emotional intelligence of future teachers and its relationship with attitudes towards people with disabilities, sexism, and bullying behaviors. Using a non-experimental design under a quantitative approach, 1004 future teaching subjects were selected by convenience sampling from different Faculties of Education in Spanish universities. The following instruments were applied online: for emotional intelligence, the TMMS-24; for bullying assessment, the Bullying Questionnaire-CAME; the General Scale of Attitudes towards People with Disabilities (2016) and the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI). Results indicated that both male and female future teachers exhibited low levels of emotional intelligence. A correlation was observed between greater emotional intelligence and more positive attitudes towards people with disabilities, as well as a lower tendency towards sexism. Additionally, a relationship was found between greater emotional attention and a lower tendency to bully from the victim’s perspective. These findings highlight the importance of developing emotional intelligence in future teachers to improve their interactions with students and promote a more inclusive and respectful school environment.