Sample
In an American student sample, aged 18 to 20 years (54% female), the 6-point scale means ranged from 3.30
(SD5.69) to 3.72 ( SD5.67) among the six core dimensions and from 3.15 ( SD5.61) to 3.85 ( SD5.63) among the
four proximal outcomes ( Tett & Fox, 2006 ). In a sample of 225 American and Australian workers from different
sectors (50.5% female), the core-dimension scale means ranged from 3.81 ( SD5.58) to 4.54 ( SD5.69), whereas
proximate-outcome scale means ranged from 3.12 ( SD5.67) to 4.73 ( SD5.61;Tett & Fox, 2006 ).
Reliability
Internal Consistency
Cronbach alpha coefficients for the 10 MEIA dimensions averaged .79 and ranged from .74 to .83 ( Tett & Fox,
2006 ). In independent studies, the alpha coefficients have ranged from .82 to .90 ( Gardner & Qualter, 2010 ) and
from .74 to .84 ( Barchard & Christensen, 2007 ). Alpha coefficients for the MEIA-W ranged from .61 to .88, with a
mean level of .75 ( Tett & Fox, 2006 ).
Test/C0Retest
The test /C0retest reliability coefficients ranged from .67 to .88 with a median of .76 over a period of four to six
weeks ( Tett et al., 2005 ).
Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
The MEIA correlated strongly with the TEIQue ( r5.77) and the AES ( r5.84;Gardner & Qualter, 2010 ).
Divergent/Discriminant
The dimensions showed low to moderate correlations with social desirability ( r5.00 to .38; Tett et al., 2005 ).
Discriminant correlations with other relevant constructs (e.g., ability EI, cognitive ability) have not been
examined.
Construct/Factor Analytic
Results from a 10-factor confirmatory factor analysis [Satorra-Bentler scaled χ2
(332)5674.93, p,.001;
RMSEA 5.05, CFI 5.93, SMRMR 5.05] and small to moderate intercorrelations ( r5.04 to .62) among the 10 dimen-
sions provided evidence that the 10 dimensions of the MEIA are distinguishable ( Barchard & Christensen, 2007 ).
This independent study also supported a higher-order model of three factors (Self Orientation, Other Orientation,
and Emotional Sharing), Satorra-Bentler scaled χ2
(128)5282.29, p,.001, RMSEA 5.05, CFI 5.95, SMRMR 5.06,
AIC526.29, which is consistent with the model that was empirically derived during scale development ( Tett et al.,
2005) and subsequently confirmed in a different sample ( Tett & Fox, 2006 ). However, the results indicated that
higher-order factors cannot account for the associations among the 10 dimensions ( Barchard & Christensen, 2007 ).
Criterion/Predictive
The MEIA scores predicted a diverse range of social and emotional criteria ( β5.04 to .26 for the global score),
which were assessed concurrently ( Gardner & Qualter, 2010 ). They also predicted incremental variance in many
of these criteria over personality.
Location
Tett, R.P., Fox, K.E., & Wang, A. (2005). Development and validation of a self-report measure of emotional
intelligence as a multidimensional trait domain. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31 , 859/C0888.
Results and Comments
The MEIA is a relatively recent addition to the list of EI measures and its evidence base seems to be growing.
Gardner and Qualter (2010) found the concurrent predictive effects of the MEIA to be consistently lower than
those of the TEIQue but higher than those of the AES across a range of outcomes (e.g., anger, loneliness, alcohol
abuse, and happiness). The incremental predictive effects over gender, age, and the Big Five were similar to those
of the AES.
Notes : Both versions are available through Sigma Assessment Systems Inc. ( www.sigmaassessmentsystems.
com). Sample items for each dimension can be found in Tett and Fox (2006) .408 14. MEASURES OF ABILITY AND TRAIT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
III. EMOTION REGULATION