Validation and reliability of the Emotional Development Questionnaire in Adults (CDE-A35)

This article presents the validation of an instrument for the measurement of trait emotional intelligence. More specifically, the instrument validated is the CDE-A35, an adult emotional development questionnaire elaborated from the pentagonal model of emotional competence. Various studies have been carried out to demonstrate the reliability and validity of the instrument. These include the calculation of the questionnaire's internal consistency coefficient, factor studies (AFC and AFE), correlation studies with other measures of emotional intelligence, social skills and personality, and a regression study. The present validation suggested the suppression and relocation of some elements, leading to a definitive instrument consisting of 35 items organized within five factors: emotional awareness, regulation, social skills, emotional autonomy and life and well-being skills. These five factors coincide with the dimensions of emotional competence in the theoretical model. The remarkable correlations with other emotional intelligence tests (TEIque and CTI), as well as with the dimensions of the personality test NEO-FFI and with the Inventory of Social Skills (EHS), confirmed its convergent validity. Furthermore, the regression analysis performed confirmed the incremental validity of the CDE-A35 over other tests already established. The CDE-A35 is a sound theoretically-based questionnaire with rigorous psychometric characteristics, and is therefore considered optimal for evaluating trait emotional intelligence in adults.