Psychological Counselor's Emotional Intelligence and its Relationship with the Effectiveness of Managing Client Resistance

Abstract

This current study aims to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence with its secondary dimensions and the skill of psychological counselor in dealing with client's resistance. The sample of the study consisted of 156 male and female counselors from different regions in Saudi Arabia. The participant counselors were subjected to an emotional intelligence scale and self-efficacy of managing client's resistance scale. Results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between emotional intelligence in its different dimensions and dealing with client's resistance. Findings also showed that emotional intelligence )total score( does not predict dimensions of engagement and disclosure resistance. Meanwhile, social interaction dimension can positively predict the skill of dealing with client's resistance. The findings of the study vary in terms of emotional intelligence and dealing with client's resistance among counselors in accordance with gender and age, whereas no differences were found among them in the effects of the educational level or where the psychological counselor worked.