The Impact of Social Support and Emotional Intelligence on Impulsiveness in Young Adults

Abstract

Social support and emotional intelligence go hand in hand while considering an individual’s level of social skills and interpersonal relationships. Impulsiveness is the tendency to act without conscious thought for consequences, which is generally related to a deficit in inhibitory control. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship among social support, emotional intelligence, and impulsiveness while also taking into account whether a causal relationship exists between social support and impulsiveness, and emotional intelligence and impulsiveness among young adults. The sample consisted of 100 participants, n=50 males and n=50 females, aged 18-25 years, who were selected through simple random sampling. The instruments used for data collection were the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT), and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-Revised (BIS-11) to measure the level of social support, emotional intelligence, and impulsiveness respectively. The Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated, and Two-Way ANOVA with replication was used for the analysis of effect. The results showed that social support and emotional intelligence were positively correlated, whereas a strong negative correlation existed between the level of social support and impulsiveness, and emotional intelligence and impulsiveness. There was a significant effect of social support and emotional intelligence on impulsiveness, with no significant differences based on gender. The research findings were consistent with the hypothesis.