Refinement and Validation of a Military Emotional Intelligence Training Program

The goal of this project was to provide the U.S. military with a brief, well-validated, Internet-based program for emotional intelligence training (EIT). This objective was accomplished via six sequential Tasks. During Task 1, a web-based training program was developed and programmed. Task 2 focused on improving the program through a series of iterative administrations, feedback, and refinement. In Task 3, the final EIT program was validated against a matched placebo training program (n = 435 participants from the general population). Task 4 provided further validation using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) by showing that the program was associated with meaningful changes in brain function (n =69). Task 5 evaluated the effectiveness of the program in ROTC cadets (n = 134), and Task 6 evaluated effectiveness in active-duty military personnel (n = 209). Across these independent studies, the EIT program resulted in significantly greater improvement on measures of emotional intelligence traits and abilities, emotional competencies, resilience skills, and mental health, including protection against suicidal ideation. The EIT program was most effective for those who started the training with deficiencies in emotional competencies. This project has yielded an effective, validated, and easily administered approach for enhancing emotional skills in military personnel.