The Psychological Impact of the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Leadership Effectiveness Among African American Women in Social Service Leadership
Type of Presentation
Poster Session
Location
University Library
Start Date
4-10-2026 2:00 PM
End Date
4-10-2026 3:15 PM
Abstract
This dissertation examines the psychological implications of the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived leader effectiveness among African American women in social service leadership roles. Emotional intelligence, a key determinant of a leader's effectiveness, is the ability to perceive, comprehend, regulate, and manage one's own and others' emotions. The effectiveness of leadership, as perceived by the leader and followers, is usually determined by a leader's EI and capacity to handle interpersonal interactions. Nevertheless, the peculiarities of African American women in leading positions with racial and gender biases have been hardly discussed in terms of emotional intelligence. The proposed research uses a quantitative, correlational methodology to examine the link between EI and how effective African American women in leadership roles in social service organizations perceive themselves as leaders. The study narrowly examines the relationship between various aspects of EI, like self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, and perceptions of leadership effectiveness. The paper also discusses the ways these relationships can affect the psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and leadership performance of these women. The results will provide meaningful insights into whether emotional intelligence serves as a protective and enabling factor among African American women leaders. The study will fill a gap in the current literature and thus contribute to leadership theory by providing practical suggestions for improving leadership development programs and advancing the career growth of African American women in the social services. The outcomes of this research can also inform policies that promote inclusive leadership and further support mentally those leaders who experience systemic inequalities.
The Psychological Impact of the Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Perceived Leadership Effectiveness Among African American Women in Social Service Leadership
University Library
This dissertation examines the psychological implications of the correlation between emotional intelligence (EI) and perceived leader effectiveness among African American women in social service leadership roles. Emotional intelligence, a key determinant of a leader's effectiveness, is the ability to perceive, comprehend, regulate, and manage one's own and others' emotions. The effectiveness of leadership, as perceived by the leader and followers, is usually determined by a leader's EI and capacity to handle interpersonal interactions. Nevertheless, the peculiarities of African American women in leading positions with racial and gender biases have been hardly discussed in terms of emotional intelligence. The proposed research uses a quantitative, correlational methodology to examine the link between EI and how effective African American women in leadership roles in social service organizations perceive themselves as leaders. The study narrowly examines the relationship between various aspects of EI, like self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills, and perceptions of leadership effectiveness. The paper also discusses the ways these relationships can affect the psychological well-being, job satisfaction, and leadership performance of these women. The results will provide meaningful insights into whether emotional intelligence serves as a protective and enabling factor among African American women leaders. The study will fill a gap in the current literature and thus contribute to leadership theory by providing practical suggestions for improving leadership development programs and advancing the career growth of African American women in the social services. The outcomes of this research can also inform policies that promote inclusive leadership and further support mentally those leaders who experience systemic inequalities.