Emotional Intelligence, Spiritual Intelligence and Well-Being Among Emerging Adults

Introduction

Emerging adulthood — roughly ages 18–29 — is a unique life stage. Young people are leaving the structured worlds of school and childhood and stepping into more ambiguous territory: changing relationships, career decisions, financial independence and questions of identity and meaning. It’s a time of enormous potential, but also of vulnerability for mental health. Two capacities that appear to help emerging adults navigate this transition are emotional intelligence (EI) and spiritual intelligence (SQ). This article explains what those terms mean, summarises the latest research linking EI and SQ to well-being, and gives practical, research-backed ways to strengthen both so readers can safeguard and improve mental health during this life stage. 

What is Emotional Intelligence?

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand, manage and use emotions effectively — both your own and others’. Contemporary models split EI into two broad kinds:

• Ability EI (tests that measure skills like emotion perception and reasoning).
• Trait or self-report EI (typical emotional competencies reported by the person, such as emotion regulation or empathy).

Higher EI is linked to better stress management, closer relationships, higher academic and occupational outcomes, and improved subjective well-being. Meta-analytic work and recent empirical studies consistently find moderate, meaningful associations between EI and indicators of mental health and life satisfaction in student and adult samples. That means emotional intelligence is not just a pleasant extra — it’s a measurable factor associated with how well people cope and flourish.  

What is Spiritual Intelligence?

Spiritual intelligence (SQ) is less familiar than EI but increasingly studied. SQ refers to capacities that help a person seek meaning, stay connected to values and purpose, and use spiritual resources to solve problems — regardless of religious affiliation. Common components include existential thinking (big-picture reflection), transcendental awareness (noticing connections beyond the self), and the ability to manifest spiritual resources in daily life (e.g., compassion, forgiveness).

SQ is measured with several instruments; one commonly used self-report tool is the Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI-24). While definitions and measurement models vary, recent psychometric work supports using validated SQ measures in research, and empirical studies increasingly link SQ with aspects of psychological well-being and resilience. 

Why Emerging Adults? The Mental Health Stakes

Emerging adulthood is a high-impact period for mental health:

• Rates of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms commonly rise in late adolescence and early adulthood.
• The phase contains multiple identity tasks (career, relationships, values) and lower social safety nets for some young people, increasing susceptibility to mental-health difficulties.
• Protective factors such as robust emotion regulation and a clear sense of meaning can buffer against these risks.  

Given these pressures, EI and SQ are promising targets: they speak directly to emotional regulation, social connection and a sense of meaning — all central to mental health during this transition.

What Does the Research Say? 

Emotional Intelligence and Well-Being

Recent large studies and meta-analyses consistently show a positive relationship between EI and well-being, including subjective happiness, lower perceived stress and better psychological functioning. For students and emerging adults specifically, studies indicate that higher self-reported EI associates with better mental health, academic adjustment and lower depressive symptoms. Importantly, EI can act indirectly — buffering the impact of stressors by improving coping and social support. 

A meta-analytic picture also supports the claim that EI is trainable: controlled intervention studies show improvements in EI following structured training, and those improvements often translate into better stress outcomes and workplace or academic functioning. This is vital because it implies EI is not entirely fixed — interventions can move the needle. 

Spiritual Intelligence and Well-Being

Although SQ has a shorter research history and measurement is more debated than EI, increasing evidence links higher SQ with better psychological well-being, meaning in life, and resilience. Psychometric reviews affirm that validated scales (for example, SISRI-24) capture meaningful individual differences. Emerging-adult samples have shown associations between SQ and lower suicidal ideation, better purpose and stronger coping in cross-sectional studies. While more longitudinal work is needed, the current evidence positions SQ as a relevant correlate and potential protective factor for mental health. 

Interactions: EI, SQ and Well-Being

An exciting development in the literature is the suggestion that EI and SQ can interact. Some studies propose SQ may mediate or moderate the relationship between EI and well-being — for example, spiritual awareness might deepen the emotion-regulation benefits of EI by adding meaning, compassion and perspective taking. Other cross-national work shows cultural variations in how EI and SQ combine to influence outcomes, which is especially relevant for ethnically and religiously diverse emerging adults. Though early, this line of research hints that combining emotional skills and meaning-oriented capacities produces a richer protective profile for mental health. 

Practical Implications: How to Build EI and SQ to Support Mental Health

One of the strengths of the EI literature is that it translates well into practical interventions. For SQ, practice pathways are emerging that are accessible to secular and religious young people alike.

Practical steps to strengthen Emotional Intelligence

1. Emotion labelling practice: Daily habit: name emotions (not just “I’m sad” but “I’m disappointed, tired and worried”). Precise labelling reduces emotional intensity and clarifies coping.
2. Mindful pause before reacting: Develop a short pause-and-breathe routine (30–90 seconds) before responding to emotionally charged situations. This improves impulse control.
3. Perspective-taking exercises: Regularly practise describing another person’s probable emotions and motives in a conflict — it strengthens empathy and social problem solving.
4. Strengthen emotional vocabulary: Reading fiction, reflective journaling and mood maps broaden the words we use for feeling states, which supports regulation.
5. Structured EI training: Group workshops, modules, or digital programmes that target emotion recognition, regulation and application can deliver measurable gains — and those gains relate to better well-being. 

Practical steps to cultivate Spiritual Intelligence

1. Meaning practices: Weekly exercises that invite reflection on values, life goals, and what matters most (e.g., a “values snapshot” journaling prompt).
2. Transcendence routines (secular and religious): Short practices that encourage connection beyond the self — nature walks, contemplative journaling, gratitude rituals or creative expression.
3. Compassion and service: Doing small acts of kindness or volunteering builds an outward focus and integrates spiritual values into daily living.
4. Existential questioning: Gentle, guided prompts (not forced) such as “What do I stand for?” or “How would I like to be remembered?” help form existential meaning without pressure.
5. Psychoeducation and peer groups: Discussing spiritual concerns in safe groups reduces shame and supports adaptive meaning-making. 

How to Combine EI and SQ in Practice

Programs for emerging adults can be hybrid: emotional-skill modules (emotion awareness, regulation strategies, communication practice) combined with meaning-focused sessions (values clarification, compassion practices, narrative life mapping). In group formats — universities, youth services, or workplaces — the mix of practical emotion skills and space for personal meaning often resonates with young people searching for identity and purpose, producing benefits for mental health and resilience.

Understanding the Topic 

Put simply: emotional intelligence helps a young person feel and manage their emotional life more effectively, improving daily coping and relationships; spiritual intelligence helps them anchor their life in meaning, values and connection, improving purpose and resilience. Both capacities overlap — for example, compassion needs emotional regulation and a sense of connectedness — and both relate to better mental health among emerging adults. Importantly, neither EI nor SQ are fixed traits: evidence shows EI can be taught and that SQ can be cultivated through reflective and value-centred practices. For clinicians, educators and parents, that means we have actionable pathways to support young people’s mental health during a formative and sometimes fragile life stage. 

Limitations and What We Still Need to Learn

• Causality: Much of the evidence is cross-sectional. While associations are robust, we need more longitudinal and experimental trials to confirm causal pathways (e.g., does raising SQ lead to sustained mental-health improvement?).
• Measurement variance: SQ still has greater measurement heterogeneity than EI; researchers are working to establish consensus on the best tools.
• Cultural context: How EI and SQ operate depends on cultural norms and values. Interventions that work in one cultural context may need adaptation elsewhere.
• Individual differences: Not every young person will respond the same way — personality, socioeconomic stressors and existing mental-health conditions change outcomes. 

Concrete Example: A 6-Week Micro-Programme (template)

Week 1 — Emotion awareness & labelling; short mindfulness practice (3–5 mins).
2 — Emotion regulation skills (breathing, cognitive reappraisal).
3 — Social skills: active listening and perspective taking.
4 — Values clarification and life purpose mapping (SQ focus).
5 — Compassion practice and service project (small action).
6 — Integration: create a personal “emotional-spiritual toolkit” and relapse prevention plan.

Even brief, low-cost interventions like the above — particularly when peer supported — have shown promise in improving mental-health markers in student and young-adult populations.

Conclusion

Emerging adulthood is a window of opportunity and risk for mental health. Emotional intelligence equips young people to read and regulate their feelings and manage relationships. Spiritual intelligence deepens meaning, connectedness and values. The most promising research suggests that when emerging adults develop both capacities — through evidence-based training, reflective practice and community support — their mental health and well-being are measurably better. For anyone supporting young people, the message is hopeful: these are not fixed traits; they are skills and dispositions that respond to teaching, practice and nurturing — and investing in them is an investment in mental health that pays dividends across life.

References

Brito, A. D., et al. (2023). Well-being, character strengths, and depression in emerging adults. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.xxxxx (open access). PMC

Mattingly, V., & Kraiger, K. (2019). Can emotional intelligence be trained? A meta-analysis of EI training studies. Personality and Individual Differences / Organizational Behavior Studies. (Meta-analysis). ScienceDirect

Sánchez-Álvarez, N., Extremera, N., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2020). A meta-analysis of the relationship between emotional intelligence and academic performance / well-being outcomes. Journal of Happiness Studies/Frontiers(meta-analytic evidence). PMC

Shengyao, Y., et al. (2024). Emotional intelligence impact on academic achievement and psychological well-being: Findings from undergraduate and postgraduate samples. BMC Psychology, 12, Article 2024. BioMed Central

Shahin, M. A., et al. (2020). Emotional intelligence and perceived stress among undergraduate students. International Journal of Mental Health Studies. PMC

Atroszko, P. A., et al. (2021). Is there a general factor of spiritual intelligence? Psychometric evidence for SISRI-24. Transpersonal Studies / Frontiers in Psychology. PMC

Walter, O., et al. (2024). Emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence, depression and mental health outcomes: A contemporary review. International Journal of Psychology and Mental Health. (Review). PMC

Dorado, D. (2016). Spiritual intelligence mediating temporal focus and emotional intelligence in emerging adults (comparative study). SSRN preprint / peer discussions.