EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND LIFE SATISFACTION AMONG PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Parents of children with special needs often experience substantial emotional, social, and caregiving demands that can affect their psychological well-being and overall life satisfaction. Emotional intelligence has been recognized as an important psychological construct that facilitates the perception, understanding, regulation, and effective utilization of emotions in daily life. The present study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and life satisfaction among parents of special children. A quantitative correlational research design was employed. The sample comprised 100 parents of special children, including 50 fathers and 50 mothers, selected from public and private special education institutions in Faisalabad, Pakistan, through purposive sampling. Data were collected using the Emotional Intelligence Scale and the Life Satisfaction Scale. Pearson product–moment correlation analysis was performed to examine the association between the study variables. The findings revealed a weak positive relationship between emotional intelligence and life satisfaction; however, the relationship was not statistically significant (r = .18, p > .05). These results suggest that although parents with higher emotional intelligence may demonstrate a tendency toward greater life satisfaction, emotional intelligence alone does not appear to be a significant factor influencing life satisfaction in this population. The findings further indicate that parental life satisfaction may be shaped by a combination of psychological, social, economic, and environmental factors. The study contributes to the existing literature on the psychological well-being of parents of special children and underscores the importance of comprehensive support systems and interventions aimed at enhancing parental adjustment and quality of life.