Abstract

Emotional intelligence (EI) has garnered considerable attention over the years due to its positive impact on individual and organizational outcomes. This empirical research aimed to contribute to this field by investigating whether EI can be improved in an ecclesiastical setting by administering a faith-based emotional intelligence (FBEI) intervention to members of a Christian denomination (Seventh-day Adventist) as measured by a pre-post-test design. The intervention was administered to three convenience samples. The first (n = 13) was administered in English to members in Washington state. The second and third interventions were conducted in Spanish and administered to health promoters (n = 20) in the Dominican Republic and members (n = 31) in Panama. Results indicated a significant difference in FBEI post-test scores of participants in Washington (p value 0.018 and medium effect size) and Panama (p value < 0.001 and large effect size), while in the Dominican Republic, there was a noted increase; the difference was not statistically significant (p value 0.259). Thus, EI can improve when an intervention is administered from a faith-based perspective. Several studies report that EI can be improved in business and academia. This research extends the body of research in EI, suggesting that it can be improved in an ecclesiastical setting.