Awareness of emotionally competent responding in work contexts and its relationship with personal traits and well-being

The study tested young adults' emotional competence in behaviorally responding to problematic interpersonal events at work (PIEW) and its relationship to traits (e.g., alexitimia level, job involvement) and well being. Results showed that PIEW responses were explained by 3 factorial dimensions: Empathy (EMP), Minimizing, Aggressing and Devaluing attitude (MAD), and, correlated with it, Superficial attitude (SUA), differently endorsed by sex and age groups. Dimension preferences showed significant associations with participants' traits and well-being, as hypothesized - e.g., EMP positively related to job Involvement and Satisfaction, Reappraisal, Seeking social support, and felt Positive affect; MAD was positively related to Alexitimia, Avoidant coping, and Emotional loneliness, negatively to Emotion awareness, Social awareness, Agreeableness, and Health. The study has implications for counselling.