Effects of Expressive Emotional Writing on Emotional Intelligence and Discourse of Pre-Service Preschool Teachers

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Saturday 7:45 am
  In Poster Session: Program Design and Praxis in Preservice Teacher Education: Emotions, Efficacy, and Community Engagement

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of expressive emotional writing on the emotional intelligence and emotional discourse abilities of pre-service preschool teachers. Using a quasi-experimental design, fifty-three university students enrolled in a teacher preparation course participated in the study. Effectiveness was assessed through pre- and post-tests for both the experimental and control groups. Measures included analyses of cognitive mechanism words in written texts, scores on the Emotional Intelligence Scale, and evaluations of emotional discourse during picture book storytelling. Results indicated that the experimental group showed increased use of causal and mental state words, greater improvements in emotional intelligence, and more effective emotional discourse. These findings highlight the potential of expressive emotional writing as a valuable tool in pre-service teacher education.

Author

• Yu-Ju Chou, National Tsing Hua University