The Inter-Personal Affect Regulation Test (IPART): Development and Validation of a Performance-Based Assessment of the Ability to Improve the Emotions of Others

Abstract

The ability to intentionally improve the emotional states of others, or inter-personal affect regulation ability, is considered an important component of emotional intelligence. While multiple self-report scales have been developed to assess self-perceived capacities within this domain, few objective performance measures exist. In this article we describe two studies which outline the creation and validation of a performance-based assessment of this ability: The Inter-Personal Affect Regulation Test (IPART). Study 1 demonstrates that the IPART shows good internal reliability and that test items appear to primarily load onto a single latent factor. It also provides evidence of convergent validity by demonstrating significant relationships with existing self-report scales in expected directions. Study 2A replicates results of Study 1 and extends them by showing relationships to performance-based measures. Study 2B examines longitudinal data to show test-retest reliability, assess relationships with change in other measures over time, and demonstrate how IPART scores are appropriately sensitive to emotional intelligence training. The IPART represents a novel, reliable, and valid tool for assessing individual differences in this important social-cognitive skill – including both the ability to recognize optimal responses and how often one in fact chooses those responses.