A Comparative Study of Emotional Intelligence Among Adolescent Girls in the Family and in the Foster Care Institution in Tehran

Emotional intelligence is one kind of intelligence that considered important. The purpose of this study is to compare the emotional intelligence among adolescent girls in the family and foster care institution in Tehran. The causal comparative method was used. In this research the causal comparative method was used. The statistical sample of control group was 70 and study group was 46. The Bar-On questionnaire (1998) was used to assess emotional intelligence of adolescent girls. This questionnaire have normalized in Iran by Samooie et al. (1382) and include 5 scale and 15 subscales. The study and control group didn’t have significant differences in stress tolerance but in interpersonal، intrapersonal، happiness scales، girls who live in foster care institution get lower scores. There was also significant difference in subscale such as problem-solving، happiness، independent، assertiveness، optimism، empathy، interpersonal relationship and self-actualization. In this study total score of emotional intelligence was lower in girls who live in foster care institution in comparison with girls who live in family. Component of emotional intelligence can be promoted by training. So planning in this regard could help girls who live in foster care institution experiencing better quality of life.